Division only makes us weaker as a whole, and Gov. Mike Parson and his allies are desperately trying to divide Missourians to distract from Parson’s abject failures to fight crime, maintain law and order, and provide healthcare, and manage the state efficiently amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
While partisanship appears all too common in our political process, I have been particularly disgusted by the racist undertone of attacks on Black elected officials, including Cori Bush, Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress; Missouri Democratic Party Acting Chairman Clem Smith; and myself. The Uniting Missouri PAC — a political action committee campaigning on Parson’s behalf – the Missouri Republican Party, and Gov. Parson himself, have launched attacks on us that recall the Southern strategy employed by Barry Atwater and Richard Nixon to woo white segregationists to the Republican Party.
Mike Parson and Uniting Missouri PAC’s website attacks on Auditor Nicole Galloway and her candidacy for governor isn’t a dog whistle for her support of Black candidates. It’s a full-on racist attack turned up to 11 meant to make white Missourians afraid of Black Missourians.
The fact that Parson and his allies would play the race card during an election where racial justice has been called to the forefront is the lowest of the low, and it’s especially shameful that the Parson campaign has resorted to making things up because the truth doesn’t help his case.
Gov. Mike Parson is using “defund the police” as a scare tactic. While I — and millions of others — believe in this movement, its ultimate goal is not to end the practice of law enforcement. Rather we seek to not reward law enforcement agencies that disproportionately punish people of color and propagate the use of violence. Black communities want police that protect us, and the unrest in our state and nation has shown that this is a deeply felt sentiment, one backed up by countless research that indicates people of color face harsher treatment from law enforcement officers than white communities. We need change, and to do that we need to work together to solve these issues.
Instead of listening to our pleas in good faith, Gov. Parson and his allies are abusing the unrest to say there will be angry mobs at your doorstep with no one to protect you. Meanwhile, he cuts $2.66 million in funding to the Missouri Department of Public Safety during the 2020 Legislative Session. As someone who represents a state that has real crime issues, Gov. Parson has failed to keep people safe.
We need someone as the governor who will take the time to embrace Missourians of all races and uses our diverse backgrounds and experiences in a way that strengthens our great state. I am deeply disappointed that Gov. Parson has instead chosen to demonize Black leaders, activists, and representatives of the people for political gain.      Â
State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, represents Missouri’s 78th House District
