By: Richard L. Smith
In a strongly worded statement, Newark NAACP the Honorable President Deborah Smith-Gregory has denounced recent actions by the new presidential administration, warning that its policies are designed to instill fear, divide communities, and roll back hard-fought civil rights gains.
Smith-Gregory expressed alarm over the administration’s swift implementation of campaign promises, which include mass deportations, cuts to federally funded social services, and the controversial pardoning of individuals convicted in connection with the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
She also condemned the decision to end Black History Month celebrations in federal workplaces, calling it an erasure of African American contributions to the nation.
“The shock-and-awe tactics are designed to keep us fearful, intimidated, paralyzed, and confused,” Smith-Gregory wrote, emphasizing that the administration had openly signaled its intentions before taking office and is now delivering on them.
For African Americans, she noted, the historical parallels are stark. While today’s immigration raids shatter families and disrupt communities, she pointed out that Black Americans have long endured systemic violence, forced separations, and government-sanctioned oppression.
“Our experience of two Americas has been one of death rather than deportation,” she said.
Smith-Gregory also criticized what she described as a blatant double standard in the justice system.
The blanket pardon of January 6 rioters, she argued, underscores the racial disparities in America’s response to political dissent. “Had African Americans attempted to overtake the Capitol, there would have been a bloodbath,” she stated.
Another point of concern is the administration’s rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which she believes are essential for addressing institutional racism.
The appointment of unqualified individuals to key government positions, she contended, is a deliberate mockery of efforts to create a fair and representative leadership.
In her statement, Smith-Gregory called for solidarity among marginalized communities, particularly between Black and Latino populations, urging them not to fall into the trap of division.
Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she reminded readers that “what affects one directly, affects us all indirectly.”
“To our Latino brothers and sisters in Newark and beyond, we must stand together, work together, and support each other,” she said.
“African Americans have been down this road before. We know that we can overcome when we choose community over chaos, we can overcome.”
Smith-Gregory’s call to action stresses a broader concern that civil rights advocates and community leaders must remain strong in the face of policies that threaten to dismantle decades of progress.
