Tim Scott’s important message, by Star Parker

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott hosted an event in Washington, D.C., on the Juneteenth holiday that showed why he was included among the candidates Donald Trump considers 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. This is 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 called the Great Opportunity Policy Summit.

This follows Scott’s Great Opportunity PAC announcing plans to spend $14 million to raise awareness among Black and Hispanic Americans ahead of the presidential election.

The centerpiece of Scott’s message about American opportunity has always been himself.

His birth in a poor Southern home to a single mother. That is, to be born into exactly the circumstances that so many people believe define circumstances that make success impossible.

Black, poor, no father. In a supposedly racist country.

But Scott’s critical message is that America is not about racism but about opportunity.

Does this mean there are no racists in America? Of course not. But there are sinners of all forms in our country.

Scott tells Black Americans, and all Americans, that you are not defined by others. Others do not define your personal destiny. You make.

And he’s running to show that being black, and even more so being born black and poor to a single mother, is not a recipe for failure. Although he came into this world under difficult circumstances, today he is a United States Senator and was a candidate for the highest office in the land.

It is also important to note that Scott is a humble man. He doesn’t say he’s successful because he’s so special. What he says is special is our country and its values ​​that allow even an ordinary man to succeed in the worst circumstances.

The essence of Scott’s message was conveyed by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, which was later used by President John F. Kennedy in a speech to the Irish parliament, and later by Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 presidential campaign .

“You see things as they are and you ask yourself, ‘Why?’ » I dream of things that never existed and I ask, “Why not?”

A more prosaic version says that some see a glass half full and others see a glass half empty.

Of course, it is in the nature of things that we must always work to improve things.

So even though America is a free country and anyone with character, determination, and good values ​​can make it, things can always be improved.

Thus, 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 advocates 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 investments in our nation’s most distressed ZIP codes.

There is no freedom without law, which is why Scott supports strong law enforcement both in our cities and at our borders.

Black Americans are succeeding in America. Twenty-two percent of blacks earn more than $100,000 a year, and 33 percent earn more than $75,000.

Scott’s vitally important message to all Americans, from all backgrounds, is that 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.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” His recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” » is available now. To learn more about Star Parker and read articles from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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