In March, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act, which approved $1.9 trillion in spending ostensibly under the auspices of COVID-19 relief. Buried in the bill was a plan to provide around $4 billion in funds to ranchers and farmers who had certain types of loans. There was a catch, however. Eligibility was determined based on race. Our client, Leisl Carpenter, is white, and thus is ineligible, despite the fact that her ranch has suffered severely due to COVID-19.
Unsurprisingly, a number of liberty-oriented public interest law firms noticed the government’s efforts to engage in racial segregation and brought lawsuits. One suit brought by our colleagues at the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL, no relation) successfully resulted in a Temporary Restraining Order, precluding the government from making payments on the basis of race.
How did The Guardian react to the halt of racist payments by the government? By gathering quotes from individuals who were willing to compare the judge’s order to entrenching white supremacy. The Guardian included the following quotes:
- “It’s that promises to Black farmers are always put on hold.”
- “A colleague reminded us, ‘It is always going to be all deliberate speed if it’s on white supremacy’s time.’”
- “You know, there are some days I sit here and think, ‘I hope in my lifetime I don’t see the extinction of the Black farmer.”
- “We’re not going to be defeated; we’re going to see this thing through.”
As the saying goes, we’re not angry; we’re disappointed.
Farmers and ranchers were hit especially hard by COVID-19. But the pandemic didn’t see race. This isn’t a circumstance where one person can get help only by pushing down someone else. The Biden-Harris Administration and The Guardian shouldn’t be pitting one member of the community against another member, particularly based on skin color. It is unconscionable to use a crisis facing all farmers and ranchers as another opportunity to generate more racial strife.
Fortunately, we don’t think these divisive tactics will work. Farmers and ranchers are more alike than they are different. They are one community, working together, to supply food to Americans of all races.
Let’s hope the Guardian and the Biden Administration fail in their efforts to divide us by skin color.