We all saw President Trump’s tweets from over the weekend. Well, everyone except for 99% of the Republicans in Congress apparently.
Here’s the thing: Trump has been a racist for a lot longer than he has been President of the United States. He was a racist in the classic sense. You know, the kind of guy who thinks that all people with skin not like his are beneath him. As an apartment building owner, Trump screened people for race way back in the 1970s. I’ll give you one guess as to the targets of the screening, and no, it wasn’t white males.
Trump went on to the notorious hot take with regard to the Central Park 5. They were exonerated but that didn’t stop President Trump from doubling down as recently as last month on their “guilt.” They were exonerated not just by run of the mill prosecutorial malfeasance, but by DNA evidence.
Moreover, there are the litany of racist quotes attributed to Trump. As a Jew, here is my personal favorite: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys wearing yarmulkes. . . Those are the only kind of people I want counting my money. Nobody else. . . Besides that, I tell you something else. I think that’s guy’s lazy. And it’s probably not his fault because laziness is a trait in blacks.”
Trump admitted to the above comment, only to refute it later on. And he would assuredly refute saying that comment now. However, in today’s world, for his base, would he even have to deny making those comments?
Getting back to the President’s tweets from over the weekend, I believe that hate of all kind should be called out. People like Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib should be called out for anti-Semitic statements and beliefs. I’ve done so here before. But they shouldn’t be condemned because of their race, religion, sex, or nation of origin. Their policies deserve to be attacked. Not their humanity. But that’s where we’re at unfortunately.
It’s an old story and a disgusting one. Debase and dehumanize the other to maintain power, which gets us to what really drives Trump. He doesn’t give two shits about white supremacy and he cares even less about Israel. What he really cares about is himself. If you told Trump he could make money or keep himself out of prison and all he had to do was give amnesty to illegal immigrants or turn his back on Israel, he’d do both in a freaking heartbeat. He’d dress up like Speedy Gonzales, yell “Viva Mexico” and then go about calling the Holocaust “fake news” and a “hoax.”
So what this is really about is Trump’s making a shrewd move to keep his rear end out of prison. How can he do that, for four years at least? By winning the election in 2020. Remember, the Department of Justice has said it won’t indict a sitting President. Trump and his people *cough* Stephen Miller *cough* have made the calculation that Trump’s best way to win is to be as racist as possible, without using the n-word. The Republicans in Congress either back him, stay silent, or release Mitt Romney/Susan Collins-esque statements.
What about the rest of us as citizens though? Where are we on Trump and his racist endeavors? More broadly speaking , what does Trump’s shrewd calculation say about the electorate? What does that say about us as a nation?
An incumbent President of the United States is running for re-election with a white nationalist platform. It’s not new either. Trump entered the world of politics as a Barack Obama birther. He announced his first campaign with the Mexicans are rapists, but some are nice people too, filth. And now he’s going full racist by telling Americans of another race, three-fourths of whom were born here, to go back to their countries. None of this is surprising but it is all terrifying.
We as a nation, and especially those of us who are white people, need to take a good look in the mirror. Think about what it says that this is how a President of the United States is trying to appeal to us. Donald Trump didn’t come out of a vacuum. He’s a reflection of our electorate. He’s a reflection of us, whether you like it or not.
So please, spare me the righteous indignation. Don’t tell me in nine months that you didn’t get the candidate you wanted out of the primary. Get out there, and vote this vile human being and those who support him out of office in 2020.
P.S. As a Jew, it offends me that Trump uses Israel as a shield for his racism.
What exactly would Trump be going to jail for? You don’t have to answer that. The Democrats better have an ace up their sleeve or else Trump will be our president for another term. The Dems platform is pretty radical and not what a lot of critical voters want. They want them to pay more taxes, they want to take away their cars, and even their hamburgers!, and pile back on the regulations that were cut which has spurred this economy into being an envy of the World’s nation’s and has allowed the unemployment rate(among all demographics) to fall to record lows, they want to give away health insurance to illegal aliens while penalizing Americans who would prefer to not have health insurance because of its outrageous costs. This can go on and on. Despite what you or Nancy Pelosi or the new “squad” says about Trump, his good results will speak louder than the half-baked cries of “racism” or “Russia!!” or “Hitler!! and he will be reelected. I don’t know anybody that is doing worse in their life because Trump was elected. Do you? I would like for you to answer that question.
My taxes went up because of Trump. There’s your answer.
I am assuming it is because you make that much money. And live in a high tax state. Besides it sure seems like the democrats want to raise taxes. I’m pretty sure nearly all the candidates have endorsed raising taxes. They say only on the “1%” but historically speaking that does not work out well for the middle class (you) who end up shouldering the burden.
Yes I would say I am doing worst but not in the categories you mentioned above, mine is fatigue. A fatigue that keeps me up at night so that I am exhausted in the morning. It wears on me like a wet blanket that is on me all day. Yesterday I was at the grocery store and show this black man holding his precious 6 month old daughter who lit my heart up with her smile and all I could think was what ugliness that is now becoming “normal” come her precious sweet way. So I said a pray with my hand on her back, “May that which cannot be named watch over you and protect from the ugliness in America today.” I was walking my dogs this morning and a Hispanic woman and what I am assuming was her son was loading up to clean someone’s home. I said hello and ask how she was doing especially with all that is going on was she ok. She reply yes and thanked me for asking. I am 65 years old. My family was part of the white flight during the civil rights movement in the 60’s but my parent kept saying it had nothing to do with race that they weren’t racist. My father was kicked out of his nice nursing home because he kept using the “n” word with the help. I was glad they kicked him out because after all he wasn’t a racist I remembered. Even as bad as it got living in the south during this time it wasn’t nearly as bad as Donald Trump and the GOP have made it today. Psychological stress has a tow it takes on people. Your joy of life starts disappearing. You get to the point where you have to fight to stay engaged with life.
I’m very sorry to hear. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Please continue to look out for others, but also, don’t forget to take care of yourself. I am a big believer in mental health care services. If times are getting to be too hard, I strongly recommend seeking the services of a health care provider. It’s a sign of strength when people do so in my opinion. And just remember, life is the greatest gift of all. Times may be tough, but this world is still a great place with many great people in it. Please take care of yourself and feel free to reach out via email if you need someone to lend an ear ([email protected]).
Has it ever occurred to you that these people you encounter are doing just fine? I agree with Rudin writes. Please seek out treatment. Personally I think you need to get over your “white guilt.” Having that mindset will only hurt you in the long run. Despite what the propagandists continue to show on tv, racism, especially in Los Angeles, is not an issue. Economic disparities is a problem but I think most people of color will agree that there is nothing barring them from doing anything because of their race. Your way of thinking is actually racist. Thinking that because they are not white they aren’t happy or cant make anything of themselves is racist. You my friend are the true racist in this scenario, not Donald J Trump, President of the United States of America.
Nah, pretty sure Donald Trump is the racist.
Since when is pro American Capitalism racist? He is calling out the anti-American stances that these people are taking. Socialism is not what America is about. He is battling their socialist ideas. They just happen to be the congresswomen that the media talks about. He never said any specific name. You are assuming. I think you will be in for a world of hurt come 2020 election. There is no way people are going to vote for these political extreme ideas. Good read. Keep it up.
You forget that Biden is leading in the polls, not the Squad, none of whose members are running for POTUS obviously. What’s popular on social media isn’t necessarily popular out in the living and breathing world. Let’s see who gets the Democratic nod before we start warming up the fat lady. But if you’re right, and it’s someone like Bernie, then yes, the Dems will lose and Trump will get his second term. As for pro American capitalism being racist, it’s not. Telling people to go back to their own countries is. And check his tweets later on. He clarified (by accident) that he was referring to the four of them. Thanks for the compliment btw!
Pingback: I Know You Are But What Am I - The Trump Doctrine - Rudin Writes