Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 | 2 a.m.
When the marching band at Mississippi Valley State, an HBCU, accepts an invite to carry out on the presidential inauguration, a few of us wish to deal with them like a bunch of Uncle Toms who snitched on a runaway slave.
Why? As a result of the person being sworn in as president will probably be Donald Trump.
“This isn’t only a second of delight for our college however for your entire state of Mississippi,” mentioned college president Jerryl Briggs. “It is a chance to showcase our legacy, have fun our tradition, and make investments sooner or later leaders of our neighborhood. This participation permits college students to interact within the peaceable transition of energy and achieve world publicity whereas celebrating the college’s seventy fifth anniversary.”
It’s so simple as that.
But, when the band went on social media to boost cash for the journey, some detractors — let’s simply name them haters — acted like Mississippi Valley State was betraying the Black race.
“That isn’t an excuse to step n fetch for essentially the most heinous individual in trendy AmeriKKKan historical past,” one consumer on X wrote in response to the fundraising request.
C’mon. Actually? Did the tuba participant promote Venture 2025?
It doesn’t assist that this yr’s Jan. 20 inauguration falls on what can be the Martin Luther King Jr. nationwide vacation.
It’s onerous to get across the irony of the Hater-in-Chief being sworn in on the identical day the nation pauses to honor King’s legacy of affection and tolerance.
However that’s not the college’s fault.
“An inaugural parade is simply that — a parade,” tweeted Danny Glover, a outstanding Black actor and social activist.
Glover has been one in all Trump’s hardest critics, however he says the band backlash is method off key.
“It’s an honor for any band to take part on this celebration of American music and pageantry. HBCUs have identified this for many years and are not any strangers to marching in Republican parades.”
Certainly. Florida A&M College’s Marching 100 carried out at Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1981.
Howard College’s Showtime Marching Band carried out at George H.W. Bush’s inauguration in 1989. Grambling State College’s Tiger Marching Band carried out at George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2001. And after he was reelected in 2004, Southern College’s Human Jukebox Marching Band carried out on the inauguration in 2005.
And, in 1969, Mississippi Valley State’s band, the “Imply Inexperienced Marching Machine,” carried out at Richard Nixon’s presidential inauguration.
We haven’t seen this system but, however until the band was requested to play “Dixie,” or was scheduled to carry out between the Proud Boys and Kentucky’s Trinity White Knights, we should always settle for the second and arise and cheer.
“Don’t fear concerning the individuals who don’t assist,” Kishia Ruiz posted on the location after donating $25. “You all are LOVED & inspired by many. You’re about to indicate the world the that means of UNITY. It is a proud second. Generally hate, bigotry, & division comes from folks you’d least anticipate. Stand sturdy. Stand tall.”
And stand proud.
Leonard Greene is a columnist for the New York Day by day Information.
