Senator Gaston: Racism, Sexism, And Every Other “ism” That Seeks To Divide Us Thrives When Good People Grow Quiet

From State Senator Herron Gaston:

The State of the Union was demonstrative of a moment in our nation’s history where some wish to rewind the clock—back to a time many of us have fought too hard to leave behind. And yet, in the midst of that moment, we witnessed courage. We witnessed conviction. We witnessed moral clarity.

Like so many before him, Rep. Al Green stood in a long line of those who refused to be silent in the face of injustice. He stood in the shadows of giants, such as Dr. King, The Honorable John Lewis, The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, and countless others, who carried the blood-stained banner of justice against erasure, racism, and indifference. Their legacy reminds us that progress has never been handed to us; it has always been demanded, defended, and sometimes paid for at great cost.

We need more people willing to be bold and willing to speak when silence is safer, willing to stand when sitting would be easier. Racism, sexism, and every other “ism” that seeks to divide us thrives when good people grow quiet. We need people willing to examine their own privilege, to divest themselves of the comfort it provides, and to use whatever access, influence, and power they possess to amplify the voices and agency of those being marginalized. And when harmful actions are dismissed as “insignificant” or explained away as “subtle misunderstandings,” or not “intentional” or “Inadvertent.” we must address them head-on. Because history teaches us that injustice rarely begins with a loud roar, rather it begins with subtle actions. It begins with small slights, small erosions, small chips at human dignity. Our current political tenor reflects an unsettling attempt to roll back basic, fundamental rights—rights that generations struggled, marched, bled, and died to secure. We are witnessing efforts to thwart justice, to weaken hard-fought protections, and to normalize policies that echo some of the darkest chapters of our history.

There are actions and rhetoric that feel reminiscent of the era of Black Codes—when the law itself was weaponized to control, marginalize, and suppress. We see continued concerns about excessive force and inequitable policing in communities of color. We see immigrants and their families targeted, separated, and treated not as human beings deserving dignity, but as political talking points. We see the subtle and sometimes overt demonization of people simply because of the hue of their skin, their accent, or the country from which they came. At the highest level of our government, we see where former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were characterized as being apes by a sitting President of the United States of America. And while there were sprinkles of outrage across communities, it is important to point out the deafening silence from other minoritized communities. As Dr. King proclaimed so profoundly, an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

History teaches us that regression rarely announces itself boldly at first. It often arrives disguised as an “isolated incident” or the excuse that “it was not intentional” But when policies strip people of dignity, we must call it what it is and denounce it every time it rears its ugly head. That is how it starts.

This moment calls for people of goodwill and moral conscience to stand up against injustice wherever and whenever we see it, even if it costs us popularity, comfort, or applause. Too much is at stake. Our democracy is not self-sustaining, rather it depends on the courage of those willing to defend it, and the time to stand is now. Thank you Congressman Al Green for standing up and defending the legacy of civil rights and inclusion for all people, although he mostly stood alone.