Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently said he would like to declare racism a “public health crisis” in the U.S., citing symptoms such as “microaggressions” among other “forms of violence” that Black Americans are subjected to while “jogging in neighborhoods.”
The Ohio Democrat recently introduced “a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis,” calling for “a nationwide strategy to address health disparities and inequities across all sectors in society.”
The Washington Free Beacon noted that Brown’s measure does little for “dismantling systemic practices and policies that perpetuate racism” but advocates for “governments to engage significant resources to empower the communities that are impacted.”
Brown could find himself in trouble over the resolution as he seeks reelection in a state that will likely go in former President Donald Trump’s favor in the November 2024 presidential election. The former president currently leads President Joe Biden in Ohio by seven percentage points.
I’ve always said, polls go up and down, but what’s consistent is my focus on Ohio. That's why I’m working to EARN the support of my fellow Republicans. 6 days left. Join us. Let’s win on Tuesday, beat Sherrod Brown in November and take back our country! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Gi0RVhvvVk
— Matt Dolan (@dolan4ohio) March 13, 2024
Despite serving in a Republican-leaning state, Brown is keen on advancing his radical progressive ideas.
The Ohio congressman has introduced the race-based resolution multiple times in Congress. At one point, he co-sponsored the legislation with then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA).
The initial draft of the bill did not include a reference to the alleged trauma that Black Americans face while jogging, nor did it point to the fact that “social scientists have documented racial microaggression in contemporary United States society.”
“Black people are confronted and threatened by armed citizens while performing everyday tasks, such as jogging in neighborhoods, driving, or playing in a park,” the legislation states.
Notably, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who chased down a Black man in 2013 with a shotgun, did not co-sponsor Brown’s bill.
Brown’s legislation states that “the myth of meritocracy” and “statements that convey color-blindness” are “microaggressions” that “over time have a negative impact on physical health … and mental health” of minorities in America.
The bill references multiple statistics, including the claim that “42 percent of employees in the United States have experienced or witnessed racism in the workplace.” Such a statistic comes from a 2019 survey taken by the job search website Glassdoor.
Brown’s resolution demonstrates the left’s obsession with race, which has been a large part of Democrats’ platform.
