The brilliance, honesty and reserved anger in which W.E.B. Du Bois summons in “The Souls of Black Folks” is magnanimous. There is a passage where the Judge unleashes his racism, through what is deemed as charity, when he speaks to John. Demeaningly, he says:

“You know I’m a friend to your people. I’ve helped you and your family, and would have done more if you hadn’t got the notion of going off. Now I like the colored people, and sympathize with all their reasonable aspirations; but you and I both know, John, that in this country the Negro must remain subordinate, and can never expect to be the equal of white men. In their place , your people can be honest and respectful; and God knows, I’ll do what I can to help them. But, when they want to reverse nature, and rule white men, and marry white women, and sit in my parlor, then, by God! we’ll hold them under if we have to lynch every Nigger in the land.”

These very sentiments are echoed weekly, if not daily, by the sitting person in the white house. They are often camouflaged in coded language for white supremacist, but they “present” just the same . Oddly, but not surprisingly, many have chosen to agree with him as he speaks disdain against athletes choosing to protest. You read the comments: these athletes need to appreciate that we buy their merchandise and afford them the opportunity to have their lavish lifestyles.

Ultimately, what this translate to is : Nigger shut-up and play.

Du Bois was right when he said there was this “amused contempt” that was connected with double consciousness.