Biting the MAGA Cheese

For nearly forty years, Red Dress Run has been a quiet staple across the nation and other parts of the world.  In most cases, it’s been a day to raise money that supports local charities and bring awareness to social issues.  This year, I’ve seen my city of New Orleans being criticized for this event across many social media platforms.  The black men who were participants have been the object of disdain on Black Twitter.  

Now as I stated in the beginning, this has been an event for almost 40 years and the criticism of black men has been heartbreaking to see.  Keep in mind, this event is not free, it costs $89 to participate, and all monies are donated to local charities.  When I first heard of this event, the main charity was the American Heart Association.   

In Canada, on May 5 of each year, there is Red Dress Day which brings awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.  Native American women are statistically the most kidnapped women in North America.  Of course this is a stat that many of us are consciously unaware of, but to have a day and activity to demonstrate that these women are not forgotten should not be frowned upon. 

Why this year do we have the outrage? What made this event the polarizing take of Black Twitter that shames black men?  This is New Orleans! Another French Quarter event where people are dancing and drinking in the streets.  This is what people from all of over the world come to New Orleans to do!   

This criticism takes away from the cause of the Red Dress Run, and for me it hits home because a year prior to the day of the Red Dress Run (August 9^th) , I was admitted to the hospital, and slowly dying from double pneumonia and heart failure.  By the grace of God, I recovered and back in modest good health.   

I have to ask the question:  Are we biting the MAGA cheese?  With this President in office, who has removed DEI initiatives in Government, and erased contributions from people of color from the recordings of our history, he is successfully sowing the seeds of division. 

This President loves the poorly educated, and when Black Twitter is shaming men for participating in an event like this, we have indeed bit the MAGA Cheese.  It’s sad that there has been a rush to outrage without verification, but this is the mechanism of distraction that we easily fall for right now.  I only hope we can do better down the line. 

Tony Love