Page 6 The Skanner Portland & Seattle June 21, 2023
News
In a one-on-one interview with the Black Press
of America, Kennedy spoke about his relentless
focus on combating environmental racism, ending
qualified immunity for law enforcement officers,
and addressing the alarming racial disparities
within the American medical system.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
R
obert F. Kennedy
Jr., a member of the
illustrious
Ken-
nedy dynasty, is
making an unlikely run
for the Democratic pres-
idential nomination and
has declared that he is
steadfastly committed to
continuing his family’s
enduring legacy.
In a one-on-one inter-
view with the Black Press
of America, Kennedy
spoke about his relent-
less focus on combating
environmental racism,
ending qualified immu-
nity for law enforcement
officers, and address-
ing the alarming racial
disparities within the
American medical sys-
tem.
The 69-year-old Dis-
trict of Columbia-born
candidate said he’s cham-
pioning causes that have
plagued
marginalized
communities for far too
long.
His mission, he insist-
ed, extends beyond rhet-
oric, seeking to disman-
tle systemic barriers and
usher in a brighter, more
equitable future, partic-
ularly for African Amer-
icans who have borne
the brunt of injustice,
including the problemat-
ic issue of maternal mor-
tality.
As he steps onto the
political stage where his
uncle, John F. Kennedy,
counts as one of the most
popular presidents in
American history and
where his father had all
but sewn up the Demo-
crat nomination before
his assassination in 1968,
Kennedy’s
audacious
bid could challenge the
status quo and spark a
transformative
move-
ment that reverberates
through the nation.
“Black Americans are
going to be a principal
priority for me, particu-
larly in ending that fear
of dangerous interaction
with law enforcement,”
Kennedy asserted.
He also pledged a move
to end qualified immuni-
ty, which protects police
officers from personal
liability in the event of a
lawsuit.
“There is no incentive
for individuals to change
bad behavior,” Kennedy
remarked.
“We need systemic
changes. We need to re-
move qualified immu-
nity, which would make
it necessary for an in-
dividual to consider his
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PHOTO VIA NNPA
The Underdog Presidential
Candidate, RFK Jr. and His
Pledge to Black America
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
liability with every inter-
action. Every good eco-
nomic system [should]
incentive good behavior
and punish bad behavior.
We need to have that.”
Kennedy added that
there’s a need for a reor-
ganization of police to
understand the mission
of protecting and serv-
ing “instead of being in
“
favorably by 49% of re-
spondents and unfavor-
ably by just 30%, leaving
him with a net rating of
19 points—higher than
any other candidate in
the poll, which surveyed
1,500 adult respondents
from June 10 to 13.
Further, Biden had a
negative 9-point net fa-
vorability rating, with
Black Americans are going
to be a principal priority for
me, particularly in ending
that fear of dangerous inter-
action with law enforcement
combat mode when they
come into the Black com-
munity.”
One of the children of
the late Sen. Robert Ken-
nedy, who was assassi-
nated in 1968, Kennedy
announced his presiden-
tial candidacy earlier
this year.
His father and uncle,
John F. Kennedy, both
demonstrated a desire
for a united and strong
America, which he said
inspired him.
Despite his anti-vac-
cine views that have
caused
controversy,
some surveys have giv-
ing Kennedy as much
as 20 percent support
among Democrats.
His unlikely challenge
to the incumbent Presi-
dent Joe Biden has gained
steam.
A poll by The Econo-
mist and YouGov showed
that Kennedy was viewed
52% of respondents view-
ing him somewhat or
very unfavorably.
In comparison, 45%
have very or somewhat
favorable impressions,
and Trump had a nega-
tive 10-point net rating,
with 53% viewing him
unfavorably and 43% fa-
vorably.
“Could Bobby Kennedy
catch a spark? Maybe,”
Michael Novogratz, a
billionaire Democratic
donor who supported
Biden in 2020 but has
pledged not to back any
candidate older than 72,
told the New York Times.
“He’s alienated him-
self because of some of
the anti-vax positions,
but he is a bright man,
articulate, eloquent, con-
nected, has the Kennedy
name, and would pull a
lot of the Trump voters.”
Meanwhile, Kennedy
said he’d also work to
end medical racism “en-
trenched in our medical
system in this country.”
He noted a recent video
See RFK on page 7
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