Image by Stephen Odom
A few weeks ago, I wrote about “Racism: America’s Forbidden Topic.” I argued that racism isn’t just an attitude; it’s a structural control mechanism. This week, that “forbidden topic” walked right into the middle of the room and sat down on the sofa.
On Thursday night, February 5, 2026, the President shared a video on Truth Social that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama—the first Black President and First Lady of this Republic—as apes. While the nation gasped, the Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dismissed it as “fake outrage,” claiming it was just an internet meme showing Democrats as characters from The Lion King. When it was pointed out that the movie doesn’t feature gorillas, the story shifted to the classic “staffer error.”
But we have to look closer. Is this just Trump being Trump, or is it a calculated move?
Table of Contents
- The Magician’s Distraction
- The War for Exclusive Ownership
- The Other Hand at Work: Winning the War on Ownership
- The Title Deed of Citizenship
- Call to Action: Defend Your Perimeter
- Glossary of Terms
- Bibliography
The Magician’s Distraction
If you’ve ever watched a magician or a pickpocket, you know how the trick works. They wave one hand high in the air to grab your attention—that’s the “incendiary” racist post. It’s designed to make one side of the population feel “catered to” by playing to their deepest insecurities and racial grievances. It gives them the appearance of being served.
But while the crowd is focused on the hand in the air, the other hand is in the pocket. This is a historical strategy used to keep the working class divided while a very small, select group is actually being enriched. This administration is using racism to give one group the feeling of superiority as a “psychological paycheck,” while the actual financial paychecks are being funneled to the elite.
The War for Exclusive Ownership
This isn’t just about money; it’s about power. For decades after the Civil Rights Act, there was a segment of the population that felt deeply threatened. Before 1964, they were the “Masters of the Universe” by default. Black Americans were always major contributors to this country, but that work went unrecognized, allowing others to occupy the spotlight and feel like they had exclusive ownership of the American Dream.
But history eventually started to reveal the truth, and that truth empowered a whole generation to move into spaces they had never moved in before. That progress culminated in the election of the first Black President—a moment that shocked and alarmed those who believed the American space belonged only to them.
The “Project” we see today is a reaction to that shift. It is an attempt to reverse the atmosphere that allowed a generation of people to share the same space as those who once had exclusive ownership. By dehumanizing the Obamas, they are signaling to their base that they are “taking the house back” and restoring the old boundaries.
This strategy of the ‘psychological paycheck’ is a page from an old, dark playbook. After the Civil War, the elite planter class used Jim Crow to give poor white families the status of ‘exclusive ownership’ in exchange for their silence while the wealthy passed laws that stole the vote from everyone. As W.E.B. Du Bois noted, they were compensated with a ‘public and psychological wage’ instead of a real one. Today, when this administration mocks the Obamas or erases Black history from the Pentagon, they are offering that same hollow bribe. They want the working class to feel like masters today, so they won’t notice they’re being evicted from their democracy tomorrow.
President Lyndon B. Johnson said, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
The Other Hand at Work: Winning the War on Ownership
While the “left hand” waves the banner of racial restoration, the “right hand” is busy implementing the policies meant to win this war for good:
- The Seizure of the “Title Deeds” (Voter Rolls): The DOJ has sued 24 states to force the handover of unredacted voter registration data. In January 2026, they even used “ransom” tactics against Minnesota, threatening to leave federal agents in the state unless the voter rolls were surrendered. By centralizing this, the federal government—not your local neighbor—gets to decide who is “eligible.”
- The “Show Your Papers” Barrier: The SAVE America Act (H.R. 22) would require documentary proof of citizenship (passports or birth certificates) to register. For the 21 million Americans who don’t have these documents ready—including millions of married women whose names don’t match their birth certificates—this is a “show your papers” policy meant to thin the herd of the electorate.
- The “Erasure” of Shared Space (Anti-DEI Executive Orders): This is an effort to reverse the “atmosphere” that allowed diverse voices to finally share the spotlight.
- Erasing History: The administration has signed executive orders to literally “erase” DEI from federal memory. They have deleted the words “diversity” and “inclusion” from agency handbooks (like the IRS) and canceled Black History Month observances at the Pentagon.
- Banning the Clubs: At places like West Point, the administration has banned minority cadet clubs. This is a direct strike at the “spaces” where the next generation of leaders is bred.
- Schedule F: Reclassified as “Schedule Policy/Career” on February 5, 2026, this move targets 50,000 civil servants for conversion to at-will status. These are the people who handle your civil rights claims and voting rolls.
- The Tax Transfer: Analysis shows that over 70% of the net tax cuts in the 2026 Megabill flow to the richest fifth of Americans. The top 1% alone captured $117 billion this year.
- The Removal of the Guards: In September 2025, South Carolina’s election director, Howard Knapp, was fired in a 3-2 vote after a closed-door meeting because he stood in the way of federal data grabs.
They aren’t just trying to win an election; they are trying to win back the 20th century. They want the space back, and they are using the law as their eviction notice.
The Title Deed of Citizenship
The importance of owning property is something my father taught me, and it is a lesson I have made sure to teach my own children. My father knew that when you don’t own the ground you stand on, you are always at the mercy of the landlord. Ownership—of land, of your data, and of your vote—is the only thing that ensures you have a say in your future.
The vote is the title deed to our place in this Republic. This administration is trying to convince the public that our “title” is fraudulent so they can justify our “eviction” from the voter rolls.
Call to Action: Defend Your Perimeter
We cannot just wait for November. If the strategy is to delete us in the dark, our response must be to turn on the light. Here is how we protect our “property”:
1. The “Monthly Check-In” (Verify Your Status) Don’t assume you are registered just because you’ve lived in the same house for twenty years. With the DOJ aggressively pressuring states to “cleanse” rolls, your name could be flagged for the smallest technicality.
- Action: Go to NY.gov, scVOTES.gov, or your state’s equivalent on the first of every month. Take a screenshot or print your “Active” status. This is your receipt. If you are purged, you have dated proof of your eligibility.
2. Secure Your “Closing Documents” (Gather Your ID) With the SAVE Act and other policies demanding “documentary proof of citizenship,” a standard driver’s license might not be enough at the poll.
- Action: Locate your original birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport now. If your name has changed (marriage, etc.), ensure you have the connecting document (marriage license). Treat these like the deed to your home—keep them ready.
3. Monitor the “Foreclosure” (Local Oversight) The firing of election chiefs and the seizure of rolls happen at the county level.
- Action: Attend your local County Election Board meetings. Ask them directly: “Has this county been asked to share unredacted voter data with the federal government?” and “What steps are you taking to ensure eligible voters aren’t removed in the 90 days before the election?”
4. Know the “Emergency Clause” (Affidavit Ballots) If you show up in November and your name is missing, do not just walk away.
- Action: Demand an Affidavit (Provisional) Ballot. By law, they must give you one. Then, follow up with the election office within 48 hours to ensure it was counted.
They want the “distraction” of racism to keep us shouting so we won’t notice the “project” stealing our future. Ownership is a verb. It’s time we started acting like the owners of this democracy.
Glossary
- Affidavit Ballot: A provisional ballot used when a voter’s eligibility is in question.
- DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion): Frameworks used to promote the participation of diverse groups.
- Documentary Proof of Citizenship (DPOC): Physical legal documents required to prove citizenship status.
- Schedule F (Policy/Career): A federal job classification that removes civil service protections for certain employees.
- Voter Roll: The official list of persons who are registered and eligible to vote in an election.
Bibliography
- Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). (2026). Analysis of Tax Provisions in the Trump Megabill as Signed into Law. itep.org
- Mother Jones. (2026, January 26). DOJ’s “Ransom” Letter to Minnesota Reveals How Trump Plans to Rig the Midterms.
- Congressional Research Service. (2025). The SAVE Act (H.R. 22): Overview and Potential Impacts.
- South Carolina Public Radio. (2025, September 17). South Carolina’s elections director fired, board chair cites ‘desire for new leadership’.
- Economic Policy Institute (EPI). (2026, February 5). OPM finalizes regulation enabling firing federal employees for political reasons.
