During a commencement speech at Morehouse College, a historically Black institution, Joe Biden made some rather divisive comments in front of the graduating students. He suggested that Black Americans should “naturally” question the efficacy of American democracy, positing that it fails them when Black men are “being killed in the streets.” Biden posed the question, “What is democracy?” if it leaves Black communities trailing behind due to “a trail of broken promises.”
This rhetoric from the President is not just disappointing; it’s dangerously divisive. By painting a picture of a democracy that systematically targets Black Americans, Biden fuels a narrative of racial division and perpetual victimhood. This approach does nothing to unite the country; rather, it stokes fear and resentment at a time when we should be fostering unity and shared purpose.
Biden’s narrative goes beyond simple campaign rhetoric; it taps into a broader strategy of portraying American society as fundamentally racist for political gain. His assertion that democracy doesn’t work for Black Americans because they must be “10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot” is a sweeping generalization that negates the significant progress that has been made and discredits the principles upon which the United States was founded. It’s a narrative that doesn’t reflect the reality of many Americans, of all races, who succeed every day without being ten times better than their peers.
What President Biden should have focused on during his commencement speech was instilling confidence and imparting wisdom to the graduating class. Instead, he squandered this opportunity, opting to politicize the occasion in a thinly veiled attempt to court minority votes. This approach not only missed the mark but also underscored a profound failure in leadership. Instead of uplifting these young graduates with a message of hope and unity, he chose to propagate a divisive narrative, proving just how out of touch he is with the role of a president in bringing a nation together.
As we move toward another presidential election, the rhetoric that divides should be recognized for what it is: a desperate appeal to emotion that undermines our collective trust and respect for one another. The American people deserve better than fear-mongering—they deserve honesty, respect, and policies that bring us together, not tear us apart. Biden’s words at Morehouse did not live up to these standards, and it’s a telling sign of how deep political divisions have seeped into public discourse at the highest levels of leadership.
