Since his plunge into politics, many “successful” African-Americans have openly excused Donald Trump’s antics. Everyone from university presidents to former athletes have voiced an undeserved empathy for 45, and it seems as if Isaac Newton Farris Jr., the nephew of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, is just the latest addition to the list.
Before signing a proclamation honoring Dr. King, Trump requested to speak privately with Farris. When Farris emerged, not only did he reveal the details of their conversation – telling CNN their talk was about Trump not being what “the media portrays him to be,” – it was pretty clear he was in a sunken place as Farris tried to explain that Trump isn’t “racist” he’s just “racially ignorant.”
Farris’ plea could have been more receptive if reports hadn’t surfaced claiming Trump called Haiti and African “sh*thole” countries, stating America shouldn’t take any more immigrants from places with those demographics, and suggesting it pull people from Norway instead.
This comes after Trump was accused of saying “all” Haitians have AIDS and ended the country’s protected status. While the administration denied reports of Trump’s “AIDS” comment, White House spokesperson, Raj Shah, did not deny the “sh*thole” remarks.
With these facts stacked against him, even Farris had to concede to the notion his uncle would’ve disapproved of Trump’s comments. However, by expressing this perceived support for a problematic figure within the black community, it seems – like the King Children – Farris could be adding to the tarnation of Dr. King’s legacy in a way only fit for a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe.