South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott hosted an event in Washington, D.C., marking the Juneteenth holiday, which showcased why he has been included among the candidates Donald Trump is considering as his running mate.
Juneteenth, now a national holiday, commemorates June 19, 1865, the date of the final implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation in the State of Texas. It's considered the official end of slavery in the United States.
Scott's event, attended by a list of major Republican donors, which I also had the privilege of attending, was entitled the Great Opportunity Policy Summit.
This following the announcement of Scott's Great Opportunity PAC of plans to spend $14 million on outreach to Black and Hispanic Americans leading up to the presidential election.
The centerpiece of Scott's message about American opportunity has always been himself.
His birth into a poor home in the South to a single mother. That is, birth into exactly the circumstances which so many claim define circumstances that make it impossible to succeed.
Black, poor, no father. In a country that is allegedly racist.
But Scott's critical message is that America is not about racism but is about opportunity.
Does that mean there are no racists in America? Of course, not. But there are sinners of all shapes and forms in our country.
Scott is telling Black Americans, and all Americans, that you are not defined by others. Others do not define your personal destiny. You do.
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And he presents himself to show that being Black, let alone being born Black and poor to a single mother, is not a recipe for failure. Despite coming into this world under tough circumstances, he now is a United States senator and has been a candidate for the nation's highest office.
It is also important to note that Scott is a humble man. He does not say he made it because he is so special. What he says is special is our country and the values that allow even an ordinary guy under the worst of circumstances to succeed.
The essence of Scott's message was once conveyed by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, which subsequently was used by President John F. Kennedy in an address to the Irish parliament and then by Robert F. Kennedy in his presidential campaign in 1968.
"You see things as they are and ask, 'why?' I dream things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'"
A more prosaic version says some see a glass half full and some see a glass half empty.
Of course, it is the nature of things that work always must be done to make things better.
So, despite the truth that America is a free country, and that anyone with character, determination and the right values can make it, things can always be improved.
So, Scott's Opportunity Policy program targets institutional improvements that can be made in the country to make the path to success even smoother and more accessible.
He is an advocate of giving parents choice and control over where to send their child to school.
And he supports the Opportunity Zone program, which provides tax incentives for business investment in our nation's most troubled ZIP codes.
There is no freedom without law, so Scott supports rigorous law enforcement both in our cities and on our border.
Black Americans are making it in America. Twenty-two percent of Blacks earn over $100,000 a year, and 33% earn over $75,000.
Scott's vitally important message to all Americans, of every background, is this is a land of opportunity.
Taking advantage of it means taking responsibility for your life.
The more individuals take control of their personal destiny, the less they believe that others control their lives, the greater our country will become.
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