Racial Politics: A Double-Edged Sword

In the heart of New York, a new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, found himself in hot water. One of his housing officials had previously made some strong statements. She called homeownership a "weapon of white supremacy" and suggested making the white middle class poorer. Those who've worked with her say she's good at her job. But these old comments are causing trouble. The official's words might be extreme. But they show a bigger problem. Many Democrats use race in their politics. This makes it hard to fight against the GOP's growing white nationalism. Republicans in Congress have called for kicking out Muslims. The administration has blocked most refugees. The president has called entire ethnic groups "garbage. " And the Department of Homeland Security's X account wants to deport 100 million people. That's in a country of about 340 million!Yet, Democrats keep holding onto racial progressivism. This might stop them from building a strong coalition. They argue that whites have had advantages for centuries. So, they say, race should be part of policy and politics to even things out. But is this the right way to go? Race is a tricky topic in politics. It's not just about the past. It's about the present and the future too. Democrats need to find a way to address injustices. But they also need to bring people together. It's a tough balance.