Donald Trump: A perspective from a Harlem Renaissance man (op-ed)

In 1923 Cane by Jean Toomer was published. It is considered the masterpiece of the Harlem Renaissance, but Toomer ran into difficulty publishing after Cane. Publishers wanted Toomer to write about “black subjects” only.

Toomer refused.

Good writing enables readers to see beyond the limits of their own observations, but great writing provides insight into the human condition that transcends its time period and has more impact generations later.

For Toomer, Cane was just good, but he dared to be great.

Unfortunately, he was unable to get the majority of his post-Cane material published during his lifetime. Decades after Toomer’s death, Scholars had a renewed interest in Toomer’s post-Cane publications and compiled them in books. One book contained an essay called Letter from America. This essay was originally published in a French Journal. Its subject was the presidential election of 1928. That race was between Republican Herbert Hoover and Democrat Al Smith. Hoover won.

Now I’m going to reproduce portions of Toomer’s letter, but I’m going to replace the names of the 1928 candidates with the candidates of 2016. So now I present Donald Trump: A perspective from a Harlem Renaissance man.

“It is interesting to note that before the election everyone knew Donald Trump, an experienced businessman, would be elected; and Hillary Clinton, a proven politician, would be defeated.

Trump is the very symbol of business. He represents a pragmatic type, competent yet stripped of sensitivity and imagination. He confirms that we have definitely abandoned the era of social idealism, and that we are ready to get to work.

Trump promises us a continuation of prosperity. Woodrow Wilson proposed to make the world safe for democracy; Donald Trump convinces us that the world is the domain for business.

For Hillary Clinton, the old idealism, the ancient courtesy of paying attention to feelings, still lingered. She spoke to us of a better and more beautiful society. She was less prohibitive, more liberal, and had other interests besides business. She was a source of uneasiness. We did not want her, she was behind the times.

Thomas Edison once said, “The government of the United States is the largest commercial enterprise in the world.” In sum, Donald Trump was the Businessman needed. His election galvanized the prevailing commercial interests and gave stimulus and assurance to all who participated in the business sphere of life, more that ever we are going to make money.

In my opinion, this trend is wrong-headed.

I support my opinion with the testimony of those whose professions support this new direction. In their daily lives and in their sincere personal feelings these people reject the philosophy of capitalism. That is, they are businessmen who love profit as if it were sport, but feel it is a vile game. They want to accumulate a small fortune and then retire. This is not the attitude of someone who loves his profession. This is the attitude of someone who hates it.

This election signifies as well that business is going to extend its domination to other institutions of American life. The arts, sciences, and professions will have to adopt the rhythms and techniques of commerce, of industry, of finance, and of advertising.

Bernard Shaw once said that business is an excellent thing when confined to its own sphere. But when it is the exclusive aim of government, as in America today, it becomes an agent of destruction of the individual -- as far as its management goes.

And so we are at strong risk of seeing business not just direct but become the government. Soon we will say America is Business. Education, science, religion, philosophy, in short, all the liberal professions and forms of culture will become no more than extensions of Big Business.

We do not see or perceive the important and fundamental issues. And the fault lies with our leaders who are incompetent.”

Toomer wrote Letter from America in 1929 and it was published in France. That same year in America, the stock market crashed and The Great Depression began.

First published in the New Pittsburgh Courier 12/28/16