(Abdul–Rahman Oladimeji Bello, Headline USA) Two black Kansas lawmakers representing both the Republican and Democrat parties recently slammed the state’s leftist Gov. Laura Kelly for axing a project meant to restore and develop the Underground Railroad.
The spat reportedly started when Democrat state Rep. Marvin Robinson went against the governor on votes related to abortion and transgender rights, according to Fox News. The governor reportedly retaliated by using her veto to kill the Underground Railroad project, which Robinson championed.
The Underground Railroad project is a state plan to develop and restore the Quindaro Ruins in Kansas City, which Robinson represents. Quindaro was a town and station on the “Underground Railroad” that helped enslaved people escape to Canada.
“As a legislator representing the concerns and aspirations of my constituents, I am deeply disheartened by Governor Kelly’s recent veto of the funding for the Quindaro Ruins,” Robinson said. “This historic site holds immense significance as an important stop on the Underground Railroad and carries great meaning for the African American Community it resides in.”
Worthy of note is that the “Underground Railroad” wasn’t an actual railroad and wasn’t built underground. It was a network used to transport escaped slaves to Canada.
The Democrat lawmaker also reminded Kelly that the project represented a part of what he called a shared history and culture, which made its preservation a priority.
“To Governor Kelly, I want to emphasize that my constituents are also your constituents, and they overwhelmingly supported this funding,” he said, calling Kelly’s veto “cruel.”
“To me, it was like cruel and torture, I don’t know so much about payback and all the other unfortunate terms that people used,” Robinson said, insinuating that the veto had sabotaged the funds in quick order.
Republican state Rep. Patrick Penn who is black, also questioned the timing and motive behind the governor’s veto and claimed race played into the decision. Penn told Fox News that there was “a different process for the black community and for black legislators than there is for white legislators in the white community” to secure funding for the districts they represent .
“No other race has the expectation placed upon them by white liberal elites that we line up and vote for Democrats like the black community does,” Penn said. “Such bigoted expectations are both unfortunate relics of a small-minded past and simply unconscionable.”
