Commentary: Trump got it right on lifting African-American community

"We're going to rebuild our inner cities, which are absolutely a shame and so sad. We're going to take care of our African-American people that have been mistreated for so long."

- Donald Trump, June 7, 2016

I AM on record for attacking Trump for some of the most bigoted and racist statements he has made over the course of this presidential election; however, if he says something of extreme importance that acknowledges the plight of the African-American community, I have a moral obligation to respond to that, as well.

I am independent when it comes to politics and fundamentally believe that both parties have shortchanged the African-American community. This is due in large part to the extremely poor political leadership African-Americans have received over the years, in addition to a general failure to unite around a common economic agenda. While we bear some responsibility, I will not let America off the hook for the continuous atrocities plaguing African-American families, children, and communities.

For far too long, the issues facing the African-American community have not been on the main stage of American politics or the mainstream media. Let's be very clear, for the most part, African-Americans dominate in every "negative" demographic and are nearly invisible in every "positive" demographic. Both situations are legacies of American slavery, and this won't change by "pulling up our bootstraps."

Very few influential Americans, especially politicians, acknowledged what Trump said on June 7. The U.S. government, after much prodding, has issued a weak apology for slavery, while the Congressional Black Caucus still can't get a bill passed that will allow the American government to study slavery's impact on African-American people. America has been a party to reparations on several occasions, but fails to see the social and economic damage the 400 years of the American institution of slavery has had on African-American families today. It's a no-brainer.

Even today, when I listen to all the candidates' "official" positions or platforms, issues affecting African-Americans in major cities have not been mentioned in their entirety, which Trump finally highlighted on one of the major media outlets. I watched every newscast and listened intently to nearly every political pundit (black or white), and not one followed up on the inquiry, as if it were never mentioned - this speaks to the real bigotry and hypocrisy of the mainstream media.

Yes, we have a number of issues we must defend against, but none is greater than the resource gap (economic) buried within the cash-strapped cities most of us live in.

I urge African-American leaders and other like-minded people to reconcile and unpack Trump's statements regarding the bailout of our cities, which must be on the level of the billions we have given to foreign countries annually.

I applaud Trump for taking this bold step.