On Saturday Night Live this past weekend, comedian Dave Chappelle ended his monologue with a note of resignation, touching on a long history of race in America that has played a huge part in this election. “I’m wishing Donald Trump luck,” he said. “I’m going to give him a chance, and we, the historically disenfranchised, demand that he give us one too. Thank you very much.”
President-elect Donald Trump is now exactly that— the next commander-in-chief, and even the most resistant protesters must ask themselves: Is it America’s responsibility to give this man a chance? “The interesting thing about this moment— it highlights the crack in our democracy,” Reverend Irene Monroe said during Boston Public Radio Monday. “Race is America’s original sin, class is hidden. It’s important that as we move forward, we begin to shed some light on this issue in a way that we haven’t.I define this moment as a disastrous opportunity. We need to address class, but we have a demagogue to do it, and that divides us.”
Emmett G. Price III is a Professor and the Founding Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.Rev. Irene Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist who writes forHuffington Post and Bay Windows. To hear their full interview with Boston Public Radio, click on the audio link above.
