Cornel West says while Trump isn't 'out there with a gun' but he's leading a campaign of 'war against black and coloured people'

• Cornel West said racism in America won't be resolved in a matter of weeks.
• In a Guardian op-ed, West said Trump was responsible for the hate campaign against people of color.

Activist and scholar Cornel West said while former President Donald Trump isn't the one actively killing Black and Brown Americans, he's leading a "campaign of war against" them.

In an op-ed in The Guardian following the mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, West said things haven't changed even after a summer of protests after the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

"After the death of George Floyd, there was a marvellous display of multiracial solidarity, not just here but around the world. But the US has been unable to fight against this neofascist challenge," West wrote.

West said that Trump's forces have gotten "bigger" and their targets are people of color and other minorities.

Last weekend, a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 people. Authorities said the suspect, an 18 year-old white man, drove hours to the predominantly black community and was motivated by hate. The suspect is allegedly a white nationalist who believes in the replacement theory, according to a manifesto posted online.

"Trump is not out there with a gun, but he is leading a campaign continuing what Malcolm X called a war against black and coloured people. He is doing it within the electoral political system. He is not killing folks. But he bears responsibility in terms of the context. Have no doubt, he is still the dominant figure," West wrote.

The political activist, however, was not only critical of Trump but also of Democrats and the Biden administration. West said that while there was solidarity following Floyd's death, it was "fickle" and Democrats have been unable to pass any meaningful legislation to protect Black people.

"The Democratic party was not even able to act decisively to uphold voting rights for black people," he wrote.

West slammed Biden for saying he doesn't think America is a "racist country," and said Democratic leaders need to realize that racism won't be resolved in a "matter of weeks."

"Race is the most explosive issue in the history of this country: from war to civic strife to Buffalo," he said.

He added that while the president can't prevent racist killings, they can "send a message."

"He can say: 'I am being consistent because one of my major priorities is to ensure black people have their rights. If, after all the demonstrations and the campaigns, racists pick up the message that politicians don't really care about black people, we end up exactly where we are today," West said.