Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Seattle Review of Books.
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| Issac Bailey |
Author Issac Bailey has been in the trenches of the struggle against White supremacy throughout his decades-long career in journalism.
As a black man who has persevered to assert the truth and uphold integrity in his work, Bailey offers an unflinching perspective about the ongoing dialogue about racism and racial justice in America in Why Didn't We Riot? A Black Man in Trumpland.
Bailey critiques his peers in the media for the corrosive effects of centering and prioritizing the comfort of white, working-class people in discourses about race relations and the impacts of racism on the everyday lives of black and brown people. Bailey directly challenges the role of white Evangelical Christianity – and the media’s complicity – in propagating racist and bigoted beliefs.
Throughout the book, Bailey shares many examples of how black folks become unnecessarily ensnared in the justice system, where they are unfairly treated, and suffer a higher likelihood of state-sanctioned violence and death. The author notes episodes throughout history that upheld the racial status quo, to the detriment of the black community.
While Trump is now out of office, this book is as relevant as ever. While the Trump era exposed the persistent undercurrent of racism embedded in institutions and systems, the author notes that race in America continues to be an “emotional, complex” topic.
