AP: “If the nation is in the midst of a historic reckoning on racism, most leaders of the Republican Party are not participating. On the day last week that a jury convicted the police officer who killed George Floyd, Republicans in Washington focused much of their energy on condemning the longest-serving Black woman in Congress. In the days since, former President Donald Trump attacked what he called the ‘racist rants’ of basketball icon LeBron James. And some of Trump’s staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill are considering forming a new group that initially planned to champion ‘Anglo-Saxon political traditions.'”
“Beyond simple rhetoric, Republican state lawmakers are pushing forward with new voting restrictions that disproportionately affect people of color and are resisting legislation designed to prevent police brutality. The moves reflect a stark political reality: As America grows more diverse, the Republican Party continues to be led almost entirely by white people, particularly men, who cater to an overwhelmingly white base. And despite fierce criticism from civil rights leaders and growing concern from business leaders who are traditional allies, many Republicans see no problem. ‘It’s unfortunate that more in the Republican Party are not willing to stand up for what I would define as creating a more just and humane system,’ Martin Luther King III told The Associated Press. ‘It makes you wonder if they really even care.'”