An Open Letter to President  Donald J. Trump On Racial Injustice in America

Dear President Trump,

We have seen these scenes for far too often, a black man curdling in his blood because of police brutality or the continued unleashing of white supremacy upon black citizens for real or perceived crimes, and I am appealing to you to bring the office of the US Presidency to bear against this scourge in our society.  You have fought and won against the Impeachment, the Wall, Veterans Affairs, Prison Reforms, Opportunity Zones, and a plethora of other accomplishments over the past four years of your presidency, and you define yourself as the man with a master plan.  You have been able to achieve milestones that are truly propelled at “warp speed,” and I commend you for your tenacity to fight till every legal means has been exhausted.  There is another fight we are asking you to engage in, Sir, it is a dirty fight when fought by blacks, but with your leadership, Mr. President, we believe you will accomplish wonders in the remaining time of your first term in office.

Mr. President, I urge you, by the mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ, to please come forward to the microphone, before the eyes and ears of the Nation, and address all Americans on this most pressing matter of George Floyd’s murder, among other racial abuses across our land.  I urge you to direct a task force to address these racial inequalities of law enforcement across the USA, not “just” in the two most current cases of Ahmaud Arbery, and Geroge Floyd, but as a defining legal action to bring an end to the violence being handed down on black citizens in the false name of law enforcement.  Your tweet in response to this horrific crime against humanity is a helpful start but your personal presence, preferably on the scene of the Police-incited crime would be calming to the nation at this time.    There is clear evidence that entire policing protocols must be immediately reviewed and scrubbed of their uneven practice of law enforcement against blacks in America, and a new way forward must be sought.  There was an opportunity to have corrected this under the previous administration, and month after month of talks went on, but no meaningful changes were achieved, and the baton now falls in your hands.

Mr. President, you take pride in achieving legislation and accomplishing missions that have “never been done before,” and this one immediately demands your attention, skill, leadership, and ingenuity for execution.  You are the last great hope for this oppressed, marginalized, and formerly enslaved people, and we know that your bold nature of bucking at the establishment is what is required at “such a time as this,” to move the needle of justice in favor of a more equal world for all Americans, and most importantly, a more just distribution of law enforcement against the African Americans.  It is clear that you and most whites are deeply angered by these abuses, yet even now you have the nation’s attention across the racial divide and can engineer the type of legislative milestones that will change Policing in America for the better.  You’ve been more than beneficial in moving the needle of justice in your recent Prison Reform Bill, and Economic strategy that together have lifted the dignity of this dejected people, and a similar strategy in correcting the evils of the past will be most welcomed.

Mr. President, On January 5, 2018, you signed HR1242 into law, in recognition of 400 years of African American contributions in the making of America, and we believe you are “the chosen one” to spear-head this process of permanent change to this marginalized and oppressed people.  In 2016 you challenged the black community with the now memorable phrase, “what do you have to lose?”  Well, Mr. President, we have lost a lot over the years, as you do know, and today there is MUCH to be gained by your leadership: life, freedom, justice, and the pursuit of happiness in an even-handed and equitable society.  The Chinese came, and they’ve made it ahead of us; the Japanese emerged from concentration camps with redemption money in hand, and made it ahead of us; the illegal immigrants came and have made it ahead of us; the refugees came from various sectors of the world and they’ve made it ahead of us, and Mr. President, the children of the freed slaves who have bled and died in making the USA the greatest beacon of hope on earth, are still the bottom-feeders in society and are still oppressed by inequitable law enforcement.  This is not right and needs to be changed forthwith, and we are confident you can make this happen with God’s help, for you are a fighter and a winner for that which you passionately believe in!

In an election year such as this, many milestones can yet be achieved under your direction, and I urge you to make this the central issue that defines the last six months of your first term Presidency, and those items that are not accomplished by November can be carried over to your second term, Sir.  Indeed, this is among the surest of sure ways to galvanize the Black votes and by extension the entire nation on your side, as you work to effect real, palpable, and meaningful change for this maligned group of Americans.  You are a crisis manager!  You have taken on the coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic and are winning the war, both ideologically and medically, and we are praying for you to do the right thing and make the right call on this festered issue for blacks in America.  Not only are African Americans waiting on you to fix this breach in our justice system, but all Americans with a growing majority of white Americans are also desirous and determined to see this change.

Mr. President, I have NEVER seen a white citizen being abused by a black law-enforcement official, and if it has occurred I would be equally vocal in defense of their  civil rights.  I have scrutinized every available database for this information, as well as interviewed law enforcement officials at the County and State levels, and they are not aware of such incidences.    We have seen where unjust and inhuman treatments have been exerted on blacks for the least of crimes, as in the Floyd case, and only yesterday, a white student, having murdered two individuals, and injured a third, fled justice in Connecticut, and crossed multiple State lines, as he “resisted arrest” in fleeing from justice, yet he was finally caught in Maryland, and the entire incident ended peacefully, “no one was injured,.” and for good measure, when he sait he was thirsty, the officers catered to his needs!  Were this a black citizen, the results would certainly have been different—today he’d be in a body bag!

I do not condone the violence that has occurred as a result of individuals who are venting their rage in this case by destroying law and order in their communities, and urge you to use your powers to bring calm to this violent situation, through the tempered administering of current law.  I join my voice with yours and with all decent citizens of this land in condemning lootings, vandalism, and burnings among other crimes in the exploitation of this tragic event in Mr. Floyd’s life.  They only serve to bring out the stereotypes of this group and change the message from liberty to incarceration and more police oppression!

Mr. President, this request is NOT the seeking of preferential treatment for blacks, but appealing for fair, just, and equitable treatment under the law for “all Americans”, with special focus on blacks, as they are the most oppressed people around the world.  Further too, Mr. President,  you are keenly aware that more needs to be done for this people, and you have already extended Opportunity Zones and Prison Reform, and we thank you greatly for that, yet even now we are asking for immediate  Policing and Justice Reforms, which will only be an extension of your historic “First Step Act.”  Indeed, it was only the “first” of many steps, and I would urge you to consider the “second” step at this time, as the Policing Reform Bill.  This would aim to bring changes to the various training and education modules for all officers across all law enforcement departments throughout our great land.

In closing, Mr. President, I wish to state that I do not condone with the crimes of burning down our communities, or civil disobedience that will lead to the commission of crimes towards individuals, law enforcement, or economic and educational disenfranchisement due to threats from within the black communities, and for this reason, I am appending a separate note, below, to the leaders in the black communities.

We have seen you fighting your way against the various threats to your presidency and you won, and we are confident that with the same tenacity for seeking to achieve your deepest convictions, your weight behind the ideas brought forth in this letter, will go a far way in bringing healing to our land and “keeping America Great,” for as long as Providence will permit.  Please reflect on these words from the Wise Man, Solomon: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”  Proverbs 29:2.

Thank you very kindly, Mr. President, and my prayers are ascending on your behalf to courageously do that which is right before God and man.

Sincerely,

Garrick Augustus

A Note to Black Leaders

I call on the leaders in the black community to condemn violence and work with governmental and legislative entities to create change, encourage our black youths to pursue higher education, and dominate the fields of law enforcement, criminal law among all other strata of law, pride in our communities and accomplishments, finance, medicine, and technology.  We have dominated the sports and entertainment industries, and the time is ripe for the need is great to expand our horizons and take on new and greater challenges in meaningful numbers that will garner our respect across the world.  The non-violent approach will be the BEST antidote against this continued blood-letting, and I urge you to use your influence, pen, and voice to deny support to any and all acts of violence and criminal activities in the pursuit for a more just and equitable world for all Americans.

These endless night-time protest marches are an abysmal failure and should be stopped immediately.  Do not lend your support to these, as they are a proven tinderbox for violence, and only serve to weaken the cause for which you are marching.  Let’s change the paradigm by staging Sit-ins in State House, in Governor’s Mansions, in City Halls, in Congress and meet with legislators who can give voice to our concerns and make our hopes come true, even after 400 years of oppression.  I urge you to condemn violence among our people and use your influence to inspire them in choosing a different path, in Jesus’ name, a path that is paved with decency, justice, progress, and crowned with success.