Jared Kushner has some thoughts on Black success and they’re definitely not the delusions of a spoiled white brat

I understand Kushner can’t help himself, but I would very much appreciate if he learned to at least shut up when talking about a life he could never fathom

Jared Kushner is a privileged white man whose greatest accomplishments include being born into a privileged family and then marrying into an even more privileged one. Somehow, this makes him think he’s qualified to lecture Black people about how to make it in America. So much so that he effectively implied that Black Americans don't want to be successful on Fox News this morning. 

In an interview on Monday’s edition of Fox & Friends, Kushner mused: "The thing we've seen in the Black community, which is mostly Democrat, is that President Trump's policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they're complaining about, but he can't want them to be successful more than they want to be successful."

It is not a coincidence that Kushner used the word “complain.” Heaven forbid that Black people speak about the disparities that exist in every facet of American society — disparities only widening in the wake of the Trump administration’s pathetic handling of the pandemic. Disparities that Donald Trump never, ever tries to speak to when asked about them. 

A person who truly cared about Black people would discuss inequality as happening to Black people versus Black people simply “complaining” about it. That distinction is crucial.

So not only do we complain too much, but it’s all our fault for not putting faith in a bigoted president with a decades-long history of anti-Black discrimination that still shouts out white supremacists groups and is presently allowing a disproportional amount of us die in a plague. Someone who only a week ago responded to a question about racism at the final presidential debate with, “I can’t even see the audience because it’s so dark.” Yes, that’s as racist as it sounds. 

As far as Jared Kushner goes, what has he accomplished exactly? What qualifies him to talk to us about success? Well, he purchased a building in Manhattan for too much money and ultimately turned to Middle Eastern emirs to save him from the mounting debt. He’s also a long-accused slumlord. 

As a senior adviser to the Trump administration — a job he received because he’s married to the president’s daughter — he’s done nothing of value in service to the country. He was supposed to be behind a national testing plan for the coronavirus until he abandoned it — reportedly upon realization that most of the then-coronavirus victims lived in urban areas. In other words, when they found out Black and brown people were dying, they decided not to bother. (Perhaps that along with many of the other crimes committed by this administration might land Kushner a felony conviction like his daddy.) 

Oh, there my Black self goes “complaining” again, huh?

Shortly after the clip of Kushner’s viral clip went viral, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany released a statement: “It’s disgusting to see internet trolls taking Senior Advisor Jared Kushner out of context as they try to distract from President Trump’s undeniable record of accomplishment for the Black community. From criminal justice reform and record HBCU funding to record low Black unemployment and record high income increases, there is simply no disputing that President Trump accomplished what Democrats merely talked about. Those who have worked with President Trump have seen success on these joint objectives, unlike with previous failed Democrat politicians.”

Surprise, surprise: a lot of words that say absolutely nothing. 

Not all Black folks are in prison and the average white high school graduate earns more than the average Black college grad (we also graduate with more debt because systemic inequalities). And again, the current administration is purposely not trying to contain a pandemic that has harmed all of America, and in particular Black Americans. 

I understand Jared Kushner apparently can’t control being an entitled, self-important spoiled brat with delusions of grandeur, but I would very much appreciate it if he learned to at least shut up when talking about a life he could never fathom. 

That said, the more reasons Black voters are given to support Joe Biden’s candidacy, the better.