WHEREAS:
Fifty-three years ago, the AFL-CIO Executive Council did not heed the voices of five Black labor leaders to reconsider their “neutral position” in the 1972 presidential election between incumbent Richard Nixion and challenger George McGovern that resulted in the reelection of Nixon; and
WHEREAS:
His reelection resulted in favored treatment for the rich and powerful, more repression and restrictions of civil liberties and the reversal or total neglect of civil rights, and the appointment of additional members of the U.S. Supreme Court who are conservative and insensitive to the rights of workers, minorities and the poor; and
WHEREAS:
In the year 2025, on day one of his inauguration, President Donald Trump unleashed a war on three principles of the 1933 New Deal to include unraveling all vestiges of relief, recovery and reform; and
WHEREAS:
President Trump’s mantra of “I AM YOUR RETRIBUTION” has redefined the purpose of the office of the presidency and the intent of the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS:
President Trump has declared himself the chief law enforcement officer and has intentionally bypassed and demeaned Black leadership, and has openly spoken of expanding militarization to other urban cities governed by Black politicians; and
WHEREAS:
President Trump’s actions are militarizing the nation’s capital and enhancing the National Guard’s authority to use deadly force on American citizens; and
WHEREAS:
President Trump has fortified the criminalization of poverty, refusing to address the pain they are experiencing; and
WHEREAS:
President Trump has manipulated museums, schoolbooks and official government documents to sanitize and erase actual American history; and
WHEREAS:
He is redirecting federal resources and is attempting to redraw congressional maps before the 2026 midterm elections; and
WHEREAS:
He ignores all marginalized leadership.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME International recognizes that President Trump’s actions marginalize Black Americans, and deem these actions to be an open and explicit declaration of a War on Blackness; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME International openly and consistently denounces the racist targeting of Black leaders, Black populations and institutions that preserve, teach and elevate Black history and culture; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME International will not be silent, as this moment could have deadly consequences, and will adopt a declaration of being occupied but not subdued.
SUBMITTED BY:
Tina Turner-Morfitt, Vice President and Delegate
AFSCME Retiree Chapter 75
Oregon