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Separation

(1,975 posts)
Thu Nov 1, 2018, 11:02 AM Nov 2018

Trump didnt start this racist rhetoric, America was built upon it.

Make no mistake, Trump is riding on a wave that has been in this country since the first Europeans landed in this country 500 years ago. This country had a chance after the Revolutionary War to make things right when they wrote out, "All men are created equally." This country was built on the backs of African Americans, Natives, and other People of Color. The very first settlers here would have died from starvation and disease if not for the Natives.

Then the country went to war over slavery, but it did not address the racism. All that did was bury the hate and contempt that certain white people had for POC. It brought about the KKK, lynching, Jim Crow law, and anything else to keep AA's and other POC down just a bit further than the lowliest living white person. The West would never have been conquered if not for Native guides and the thousands of Chinese that literally put their lives into building the railroads. They were repaid by the Indian War, forced resettlements, and forced to adopt Anglo-Christian lifestyles. Sometimes completely wiping out a persons link to their past.

In the 1940's, the second World War was fought in Europe and the world learned about a terrible crime perpetrated by not just the German Nazis, but it was also condoned by silence by millions. Even the US turned away a cargo liner full of Jews full of other Untermenschen. Yet millions of African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Navajos signed up to defend the country that has treated them like garbage if only to show the rest of white American that they too, were good enough and to try and earn a place beside them. These brave Americans had to fight harder, sometimes against the very people they were fighting alongside, and upon there return, they were lynched, forgotten, and ignored.

During the 1960's, Civil Rights and desegregation laws were enacted, but the underlying racism was still not addressed. The country saw Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and other cities burn because the minorities that lived there were still being lynched, framed, beaten, still kept back by racist cops, banks, city officials, and others that had the power to make things right. In 1991, White America while eating dinner saw an African American beaten worse than a dog by the L.A.P.D. and then a few months later saw those officers get away with it. Within 24 hours Los Angeles burned again.

Finally, an African American gets elected, and many people thought, "This is it, America has finally dealt with her racism." But it wasn't and not by a long shot. The underlying, hidden sometimes racism started to bubble up from underneath. We started to see images of the President being lynched, the comments about his wife and children. White America learned a new phrase, "Driving while black". With the increase of cell phones, white America started to get a true glimpse into everyday life of the very ugly and racist belly of America. Thousands of videos showing African American and other POC being abused by the police, pregnant women being harassed by white men, children being harassed for nothing more than swimming in a pool. The election of our first African American did not cure racism in America because racism has never been truly addressed.

Finally, Donald Trump was elected, and millions of racist Americans got to see the most powerful man in the free world make comments that crossed the line. Just because you don't say the "N" word out in public or on tape, it doesn't NOT make you a racist. He gave comforting words to the Proud Boys in Charlottesville when a peaceful counter-protester was murdered by a racist. He has called thousands of refugees, "dangerous people", called them an invading armada. He has called African countries shitholes, and that those people want to come here and make this a shithole. He is currently trying to make America a whiter place to live.

I am not saying that Donald Trump shouldn't be labeled a racist, he most certainly is. However, if and when Donald Trump is removed from office and he has been relegated to but an ugly memory of American history. If the true crux of the problem has not been addressed as a nation, I fear that in the future we will only see an ugly pattern of racist behavior continue and possibly only get worse.

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Trump didnt start this racist rhetoric, America was built upon it. (Original Post) Separation Nov 2018 OP
Absolutely. The very fact that a racist, sexist, bigot occupies the WH is testiment to that, but still_one Nov 2018 #1
Absolutely Separation Nov 2018 #2
... and exploit it for personal political gain. magicarpet Nov 2018 #3
Yup. He came out of zentrum Nov 2018 #4
Put a sock in it! curiouso Nov 2018 #5
Please, do try to. Separation Nov 2018 #9
Well said indeed The Liberal Lion Nov 2018 #6
It doesn't automatically reproduce itself, like little fucking bunnies do: struggle4progress Nov 2018 #7
We know this but Trump emboldens racism. He is becoming its face onit2day Nov 2018 #8
Exactly Separation Nov 2018 #10

still_one

(95,852 posts)
1. Absolutely. The very fact that a racist, sexist, bigot occupies the WH is testiment to that, but
Thu Nov 1, 2018, 11:11 AM
Nov 2018

what trump did is legitimize it.

magicarpet

(16,140 posts)
3. ... and exploit it for personal political gain.
Thu Nov 1, 2018, 11:36 AM
Nov 2018

Without racism and hate he would be an ineffectual leader. The 30% of Fascist Racists in our population would just ignore him as a nobody.

He whips them into a state of racist hysteria right to the deepest core of their bodies. They love him for the racist waves of hate that washes over the crowd at his Nazi-fests Rallies.

This to them is indicative of a powerful strong leader who must be worshiped and revered absent any apprehensions or reservations, but blindly followed no matter how deep the abyss.

curiouso

(57 posts)
5. Put a sock in it!
Fri Nov 2, 2018, 12:18 PM
Nov 2018

This is the sort of thing the right tosses into the discussion on the eve of elections to divert attention from issues that don't favor their candidates. It's all part of the divide-and-conquer strategy: "We're all to blame for the current state of affairs so no matter how you vote - but most assuredly if you vote at all - you're part of the problem." Bull pucky! Anyone unfamiliar with the historical shortcomings of this nation is either an idiot or a conservative. How we go about dealing with the shame our collective past is worth consideration - AFTER TUESDAY'S ELECTION.

Separation

(1,975 posts)
9. Please, do try to.
Fri Nov 2, 2018, 08:35 PM
Nov 2018

You know what I'm sick of, since you obviously have no trouble telling me to shut my mouth?

I'm sick of of people like you walking around with their hands over their eyes and ears. It seems like there is always one who comes out and says, "Woogie boogie, better not point out any faults or the scary publicans will do it too." Guess what? They are gonna do it whether or not I say anything at all.

You dont get to tell me to shut up. 💋 Bless your heart. 💋

struggle4progress

(119,840 posts)
7. It doesn't automatically reproduce itself, like little fucking bunnies do:
Fri Nov 2, 2018, 03:02 PM
Nov 2018

it would vanish, except that it is constantly manufactured and marketed, like any other artificial commodity

No, Donnie didn't invent it. But he's deliberately reproducing it


 

onit2day

(1,201 posts)
8. We know this but Trump emboldens racism. He is becoming its face
Fri Nov 2, 2018, 08:19 PM
Nov 2018

But we also have MLK, Kennedy, Johnson and many more who have shown us how to become free of racism. I don't like to think of it as a racist majority. They just have big mouths and are loud about their hate but they are still a minority today...just like Clinton won the popular vote by 19 million when provisional ballots are counted.
We immigrants killed an entire nation of native Americans. Enslaved an entire culture to build our nation but evolved to a point of seeing the evil of our ways. Hopefully we will continue to progress humanely....but not with this PINO or his enablers.

Separation

(1,975 posts)
10. Exactly
Fri Nov 2, 2018, 08:38 PM
Nov 2018

These people have a bullhorn and love to pretend that their size is bigger, through violence and intimidation.

We will first have to come to terms with it as a nation before we will ever get past it.

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