President-elect Trump won a majority of the Electoral College votes but not the popular. So with a great deal of fascination, I’ve been watching media commentators do what they do best or worst depending on which side of the television you sit. Of particular interest to me was the goings’ on at President-elect Trump’s castle tower. Every day since the beginning of January if not earlier, it seemed like more and more of America’s out of touch but ultra-wealthy or infamous or wannabees came to see the king of the castle and to kiss his ring.

Weirdly enough, President-elect Trump seemed to be hostile to folks that average Americans admired. He made no bones about his intense dislike bordering on hatred for Black presidents, captured military heroes, and Gold Star families. Recently the president elect added new folks to his full of crap list that included civil rights activists, A-list entertainers as well as Hollywood actors and actresses. Think President Obama, John Mac Cain, the Khans, John Lewis, Meryl and Alec as a partial list because I’m sure there’s more folks to be added. I was curious to see who would accept his invitation to perform at his inauguration.

After President-elect Trump exchanged some very insulting tweets with John Lewis, I grew as curious as the media commentators. We both wondered if any Black legislators would be attending or any Black entertainers would be performing at the inauguration besides Jennifer Holiday, Kaye or Don King. The answer is a huge NOT.

I’ve just learned well over 50 congress people joined John Lewis and will not be attending President-elect Trump’s inauguration. The list of those not attending Trump’s inauguration is growing as I write this piece for my February blog. I discovered that Jennifer isn’t appearing because she supposedly received death
threats if she sang for President-elect Trump. She’s a low-key Republican who performed at Republican sponsored functions for years. Kaye won’t be performing either. He was supposedly told no by the Trump camp because his music isn’t American enough for President-elect Trump’s inauguration. Yet, Kaye’s music was American enough for him to perform it at President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. I guess that leaves former ex-con and now businessman of ill-repute, Don King. Enough said.

I never would have thought that attending or performing at a presidential inauguration would prove to be a litmus test for civil liberties in America. But that’s how media folks and their regular viewers are reading all things Trump right now. That’s how I’m reading it as well.

As I’ve said in other blogs on the subject of President-elect Trump, this such a nerve wracking time in America. I’ve experienced many shocking things in my life. I’ve been scared before but never this frightened by what’s about to happen in America when Trump becomes President. I’m not particularly religious but I am gonna pray for the good people of the USA.

Thanks for reading.

BL Wilson