Conservative agenda represents decades-long plan designed to dismantle civil rights, other gains
EDITOR’S NOTE: In the August 1-7, 2024 issue of The Tennessee Tribune, the professional titles of the chair and co-chair of the Social Action Committee for the Nashville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated were listed under photos and included with the article titled, “Project 2025 and the Black Community,” regarding a Zoom meeting organized to discuss and inform about the potential impact of Project 2025 on the Black community. The organizers, Vivian Wilhoite and Dr. Dorinda Carter, are members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, an international nonpartisan service organization, and served as representatives of the organization and not that of their respective professional roles. The Tennessee Tribune apologizes for the error.
Many African Americans know all too well the saying: “when white America catches a cold, Black folks get pneumonia.” This simply means when trouble is brewing in economics, health care, housing or other areas in politics, business or civic affairs, disparities often create greater hardships for Black people to navigate.
In the case of Project 2025, a conservative agenda led by right-wing think tank the Heritage Foundation, gains that took decades to make would drastically scale back advances in civil rights, economics, education and policing, to name a few. According to panelists who participated on a July 25 Zoom call hosted by the Nashville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, these setbacks would disproportionately impact Black communities.
The at-capacity call drew 500 people – all interested in learning more about the 900-page conservative manifesto. The event was organized by the Nashville Alumnae Chapter’s Social Action Committee, chaired by Vivian Wilhoite and co-chaired by Dr. Dorinda Carter.
“We have to be responsive to this,” said Wilhoite adding that the chapter is already working to schedule a part two discussion in the next couple of months. “This election is way too critical to play around, and we need to support each other and vote.”
“Now more than ever we need to mobilize, strategize and educate,” said Jacquie Johnson, president of the Nashville Alumnae Chapter. “We are committed to do our part to share critical information and fight for justice and freedom. We will also focus on voter engagement to influence massive turnout this November.”
Moderated by Nashville Alumnae member and former journalist Ambriehl Crutchfield, the panel included state Senators Raumesh Akbari of District 29 in Memphis and Charlane Oliver of District 19 in Nashville, state Representative Rev. Dr. Harold Love, Jr. of District 58 in Nashville, Attorney Erica Perry, founder of Black Nashville Assembly, and Dr. Sekou Franklin, professor in the Department of Political Science at Middle Tennessee State University and author of After the Rebellion: Black Youth, Social Movement Activism, and the Post-Civil Rights Generation.
The priority question during the discussion was ‘what exactly is Project 2025?’ Frankin jumped right in with an answer, explaining, “It’s really a long-standing objective by conservatives to reshape federal government through rules and regulatory processes. It has roots going back to the 1970s. There were remnants of it in the 1980s under the Reagan administration. It’s basically Jim Crow 3.0 with a suit and a tie.”
Akbari said Project 2025 would result in a complete restructure eliminating oversight agencies like the U.S. Department of Education as well as gender-based programs and other protections.
The document outlines efforts that would freeze federal funding for schools accused of teaching Critical Race Theory, take away student loan debt relief efforts, impose limitations on infrastructure and environmental protections, scale back Medicaid and other health care supports, halt voting rights, dismantle affirmative action, LGBTQ issues, and erase women’s reproductive rights.
“Project 2025 would give the executive branch king-like power and have catastrophic consequences,” Akbari said. “People need to understand the gravity of this plan, and what’s at stake.”
Representative Love said the plan would push school choice programs while back peddling Biden’s student loan forgiveness initiative which has benefitted those who chose careers in public service.
“These would be very small changes but would have a long-lasting negative effect,” Love said.
Project 2025 also calls for less oversight and more autonomy to the Department of Justice, according to Oliver, who noted the death of Sonya Massey, a Springfield, Illinois Black woman fatally shot July 6 by police officers she called to investigate a suspected intruder in her home.
“They [conservatives] want to give law enforcement full immunity,” Oliver said. “For Sonya Massey and every Black person who has been killed by police, this is clearly concerning for Black people and our safety. We must look at our laws and fine tune legislation to strengthen our democracy, so we don’t find ourselves in this position again.”
Erica Perry, an attorney and founder of Nashville Black Assembly, said the plan’s focus on eliminating head start, gutting environmental protections, weakening childcare protections and taking away access to life-saving medications, all unjustly target marginalized and poor communities.
“We have to talk about a long-time commitment to organizing and democracy,” Perry said. “We need to talk to young people to encourage them not only to vote but to participate in civic engagement and to use democracy to change policy.”
With Joe Biden out of the Democratic running for president, and Kamala Harris stepping up as the likely frontrunner, Americans are wondering what the tide may bring in a highly contested election that could pit Harris and former President Donald Trump in a battle for the White House.
Wilhoite said the state of Tennessee continues to rank at the bottom in voter apathy, noting that in Davidson County (Nashville), while more than 500,000 individuals are registered to vote only 13% of that number voted in the last election. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 7.
“It may sound cliché, but it [voting] does matter,” Akbari said. “We have to vote, and we have to volunteer to try to effect policy for change.”
Chair Wilhoite closed out the informative hour and half long zoom call, reminding the attendees of the upcoming August 1, 2024 Election Day for the State Primary & County General to please vote, and take ten or more voters with them stating every election is critical.
