The Sneaker Philanthropist

BLACK FACES IN HIGH PLACES WON'T SAVE US As the fascist nature of imperial policy is being amplified by the Trump administration, the neoliberal policies that have paved the way are often overlooked. Often, they are even pushed by so-called opposition Democrats - a party that just defeated Trump's Republican Party. Today, we revisit a powerful moment from April 2024, when Professor Ruha Benjamin addressed this idea during a speech at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Far away from the white supremacist aesthetic of MAGA, the African-American Democratic leadership that has pushed imperial policy helped expose the simple fact that “Black faces in high places are not going to save us,” as Professor Benjamin expressed. In other words, we cannot assume that fellow Black individuals will protect our rights solely because they occupy positions of professional, political, or economic influence. One of the most potent examples of this sentiment, alluded to by Professor Benjamin, is the multiple vetoes by former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield of UN Security Council resolutions demanding an "immediate ceasefire" in G*za. Accusations flung in 2024 by the then head of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), General Michael E. Langley, at Burkina Faso's revolutionary President Ibrahim Traoré are another glaring example. Langley, just like former US President Barack Obama, who oversaw US military operations across the African continent, represents imperialist militarism that has torn many countries apart over the decades. Faces and voices like theirs are used to advance imperialist interests and maintain systems of global exploitation, as well as the US military-industrial complex, all under the illusion of inclusion. Somalia and Libya have already borne the brunt of US power. Today, Washington continues its aggression against Iran, the same year it kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a South American leader who dared to stand up against fascism and imperialism. This is another act of aggression, among other U.S. violations of international law, that has been met with utter silence from the Black neoliberal ruling class.