CBS’s Madam Secretary clearly thinks white nationalism is a threat. In fact, it needed Hillary Clinton herself to explain why nationalism is bad. This week’s episode continues that streak with a talk about the deadly threat to black people from both white nationalist terrorists and police officers.
The October 21 episode “The Magic Rake” has Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) handling a conflict surrounding Chinese sweatshop labor. While she travels to Milan to work on the issue at Fashion Week, her press coordinator Daisy (Patina Miller) requests to stay behind near her baby daughter. She admits that since the terrorist attack on the White House by white supremacists, she’s been apprehensive about leaving her child, an understandable behavior though she doesn’t press further than that.
However, when Sister Anne Gutirrez (Diana Maria Riva) requests Daisy speak to her student group at the White House, Daisy balks at that idea as well. This leads to her finally revealing the true source of her apprehension. Like everything else for the past couple of weeks, it has to do with racism in America.
Daisy: So here's the thing. I was supposed to go with the Secretary to Italy, but I didn't want to. I have a daughter. She's 15 months old. My parents, they could have babysat, no problem. Lately, every time she is out of my sight, I get nervous. I get up in the night to check on her, like, all the time. And part of it's to do with the attack. I mean, a bunch of white guys were so enraged by the prospect of making space for someone like my daughter, like me, that they would literally rather blow up the White House, rather destroy the country than share it. And, also, I can give you the names of at least five unarmed black people who've been killed by the police in the last six months. Just driving along, and then you get pulled over, and boom, that's it. What if my mom or dad is driving Joanna from a play group or music class, and then they get pulled over, and then... I'm sorry. See what I mean? I'm not very inspiring. I'm not trying to be selfish. I just truly don't trust myself not to kill someone's dreams.
It’s strange that, although the attack at the White House was motivated by immigration bills and nuclear deals involving Pakistan and India, Daisy somehow concludes that black people are now the number one targets. Liberal shows like this also never manage to explain how America can be so bigoted yet have black characters like Daisy be so successful.
It’s also strange how she manages to connect police shootings with a terror attack. As if every black person, including grandparents driving a toddler during the day, has an equally high chance of randomly being killed for driving while black. In fact, odds are, several of those "unarmed black people" who were killed by police were assaulting a police officer or attempting to grab their gun. Those stories sound a lot different than blowing up a federal building filled with innocent people to make a political statement.
Sister Anne convinces Daisy to give the talk to her students after all. Despite the nun’s request to inspire the kids, Daisy says to the fifteen mostly black and brown students, “You know better than most that sometimes this world, this country is not going to be fair. You won't always be seen for the creative, enthusiastic young men and women that you are. So on the bad days, when you're tempted to give up, you're going to have to find that belief in yourself, because you can make it.” Somehow, telling kids that they will always be judged by their race doesn’t strike me as hopeful, but at least she tells them to be resilient.
It’s only leftist shows like Madam Secretary that believe racism is a threat on par with any terrorist attack. After all, leftists are the only ones still acting like racist cops are out there freely shooting black people for absolutely no reason. For a group that promotes diversity, liberals sure paint a bleak existence for minorities.
