Former Vice President Joe Biden confirmed a glaring epidemic in America with a bold statement during a breakfast on Monday that paid tribute to civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.
Biden, who has yet to make an official announcement for his bid to run as a Democratic candidate for the 2020 presidential election, aimed to honor MLK's legacy by urging everyone to continue fighting against the "dark forces" that led to King's assassination on April 4, 1968.
Things have not changed much since the 60s, especially after the tragic events that unfolded after the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that claimed the life of Heather Heyer.
Biden explained that the "dark forces" phrase was from among King's last words spoken "to make America what it ought to be."
"America's been made better by all the struggles many of you in this room have endured and led," said Biden.
"But we've learned the last two years it doesn't take much to awaken hate, bring those folks out from under the rocks -- part of American society that's always been there will always be there."
At the breakfast event hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, Biden said that Americans need to acknowledge that "systemic racism" still exists today.
"The bottom line is we have a lot to root out, but most of all the systematic racism that most of us whites don't like to acknowledge even exists," Biden said.
"We don't even consciously acknowledge it. But it's been built into every aspect of our system."
He continued:
"Because when your schools are substandard, when your houses are undervalued, when your car insurance costs more for no apparent reason, when poverty rates for black Americans is still twice that of white Americans, ... there's something we have to admit."
"Not you -- we -- White America has to admit there's a still a systematic racism. And it goes almost unnoticed by so many of us."
But he was also very optimistic and remembered a significant moment in his life when he was sworn in to serve the United States with Barack Obama.
"There I was, it just hit me, standing, waiting for a black man to come 28 miles from Philadelphia to pick me up and take me on a 128-mile ride to be sworn in as president and vice president United States. Don't tell me, don't tell me things can't change!"
This user refused to acknowledge systemic racism when there were other white people responsible for committing other atrocities, but another stressed the importance of acknowledging it being the inherent issue.
People dissected the definition for "systemic racism," sparking another debate that discrimination was not exclusive to white people.
Most generally agreed with Biden's statement and were fully onboard.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another potential contender for the 2020 presidential bid who has not made any official announcements, attended the morning event in Washington, D.C.
Bloomberg hinted that both he and Biden are hoping to elect a Democrat back into the White House in 2020.
"Whatever the next year brings for Joe and me and I know we'll both keep our eyes on the real prize, and that is electing a Democrat to the White House in 2020, and getting our country back on track."
"I haven't had a chance yet to talk to the Vice President at length today but I did want to get some pointers from him on how it's like to live in Washington, D.C."
The 2020 campaign is already ramping up to be a compelling journey. Our eyes are wide open, and we are ready to do something about it.
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