In his Medium.com article Racism is THE Reason NOT to Vote for Trump, Jeffrey Kass presents a passionate argument against supporting Trump based on his history of racism and xenophobia. It highlights instances from Trump’s past, including the discrimination lawsuit filed against him in the 1970s, his involvement in the Central Park Five case, and his perpetuation of racist conspiracy theories such as the birtherism movement against Obama.
Additionally, it points out Trump’s discriminatory remarks and policies targeting various minority groups, including Muslims, Mexicans, and Jews.
“Trump’s racism is the most dangerous thing to hit America in my half-century lifetime and it must be stopped,” writes Kass.
“In case you’re still in denial, let’s break it down in plain English.”
“It started over 50 years ago when a young Donald Trump was sued by the Nixon Administration for engaging in a pattern and practice of refusing to rent housing to Black people in New York.”
“Yeah, you heard that right. Even Nixon, a staunch Republican, thought Trump was racist.”
The author emphasizes that Trump’s racism is not just a matter of personal belief but has also influenced his policies and appointments, citing examples such as ending diversity training in federal agencies, appointing individuals with ties to white nationalist organizations, and his response to events like the Charlottesville white supremacist rally.
“After hobnobbing with the Clintons for years, even sharing laughter with Bill and Hillary at Trump and Melania’s wedding, and after declaring on CNN that the economy does better under Democrats, Trump had a change of heart when the Democrats chose a Black man to represent their party in the presidential election. He went on a five-year obsessive, racist scramble to try to prove that Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii in order to disqualify him” wrote Kass.
“Not coincidentally, Trump changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, only when Obama was elected.”
Moreover, Kass states ‘President Trump built a cabinet of far-right-wing nationalists and racists’ and suggests racism was the cornerstone of his administration.
Jeff Sessions served as the Attorney General under President Trump. During his confirmation hearings, allegations were raised regarding his past remarks and actions related to race, including comments made in the 1980s that led to his denial of a federal judgeship. Sessions faced scrutiny over his handling of civil rights cases and his opposition to certain legislation aimed at protecting minority rights.
And Steve Bannon was a key advisor to President Trump and was associated with Breitbart News, a right-wing media outlet known for its controversial content. Bannon’s views and the editorial stance of Breitbart have been criticized by many as promoting white nationalist and alt-right ideologies.
Other individuals Kass mentioned who were associated with the Trump Administration, such as Stephen Miller, have faced criticism or scrutiny for their connections to organizations or networks with ties to white nationalism or extremist ideologies.
And let’s not forget Trump’s reaction to the large, well-hyped clash in Charlottesville in 2017 between white supremacists and anti-racist groups.
“There are good people on both sides.”
“Trump even retweeted white nationalists four times as president, with one account he retweeted called ‘whitegenocidetm,'” states Kass.
The article also highlights that Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric extended beyond targeting Black people, Muslims, and Mexicans. In 2015, he repeatedly employed anti-Jewish stereotypes related to Jews, money, and power. This included tweeting an image of Hillary Clinton surrounded by money within a Jewish Star of David, as well as running an ad featuring prominent Jewish figures while warning of “global special interests.”
Trump’s remarks perpetuated harmful stereotypes about Jews controlling finances and wielding excessive influence. These instances contribute to a broader pattern of discrimination and prejudice exhibited by Trump, as outlined in the article.
The article concludes by urging readers to consider the long-term consequences of supporting Trump, arguing that his presidency would further exacerbate racial tensions and set back progress on race relations in the United States.
Overall, the author makes a compelling case that Trump’s racism should be a significant factor in voters’ decision-making process.
