OP-ED
Doing so would require them to abandon racist assumptions
Last year, after the Dali cargo ship lost power, it crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a partial collapse. In the immediate aftermath, as city officials took stock of the damage, some pointed to Baltimore’s Black mayor, Brandon Scott, as the source of the problem. Of course, there was no credible reason to blame him for the catastrophe or to believe anyone in city leadership could have prevented the collision. Yet, this talking point gained traction among those who buy into the racist beliefs that Black people are unfit to lead. But what happens when Black leaders are successful? In this case, some experience cognitive dissonance, as they confront contradictory ideas — their endorsement of racist stereotypes and the positive social change achieved under their leadership. Some, it seems, deny this reality to maintain their worldview.
Now that crime rates in Baltimore, Maryland, have dropped precipitously under Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration, his critics have grown silent. This is to be expected, as acknowledging the success of a Black leader’s approach would mean abandoning their racist assumptions. The city has become safer, and that’s remarkable when we…
