Archive for December, 2016
It first started with David Duke’s endorsement of Trump for president. Duke, a white nationalist and former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, now claims that he is running to “defend the rights of European Americans.” But Duke’s beliefs and rhetoric indicate more than that. He argued that his message lined up perfectly with Trump’s and that he was proud that his beliefs were being brought to the forefront. Duke, who is a holocaust denier and segregationist, said to white supports “voting against Donald Trump at this point, is really treason to your heritage.”
Although this is a higher-level endorsement, Trump and Duke’s uncannily similar rhetoric has affected their supporters. After Trump’s win, 2 Pennsylvania high school students paraded with Trump signs yelling “white power.” But this pattern existed far before Trump’s win. Even from his rise to power in the Republican primaries, prejudiced white citizens have felt empowered. John McGraw, a supporter of Trump, punched a 26-year-old African-American protester while be encouraged by fellow Trump supporters. McGraw and the crowd hurled racial slurs and said, “the next time we see him, we might have to kill him.”
The KKK’s official newspaper then endorsed Trump on November 2, just days before the election and cited their shared values. They claim that a White Genocide will occur and that Trump will re-empower their status back to putting white citizens of European American descent into power.
These claims seemed to have worked. On December 2, 2016, less than a month after the election there have been 867 reported hate-attacks alone. Even white students in high schools have begun to chant “build that wall” on Youtube videos, vandalism says “Take America back,” a white man told a Chinese-American student saying “Can’t wait for Trump to deport you or I will deport you myself, dyke yellow bitch,” and the stories do not end. While Trump’s message may have provided an outlet for the claimed fears of European Americans (as prophesied by David Duke), there have been clear indications of white assailants attacking immigrants and people of color, unprovoked.
Trump’s victory did show, however, the power of racism in America and the incredible, untapped fear that Americans have, which allowed them to be swayed in the election. Trump’s blatant disregard for the rights of immigrants and minorities while claiming to be a “President for all Americans” is just as bad as endorsing white supremacists themselves. Earlier in the year, Trump argued in favor of stop and frisk, where New York City police officers could stop and frisk individuals, fully aware that it was deemed unconstitutional because it clearly discriminated against black and Latino residents.
Now that Trump has won, some moderates who voted for him expected that he would rescind some of his policies. Although he has claimed to lay off of Obamacare among other things, Trump has not overtly spoken against the backlash faced by minorities and his odd cabinet choices have indicated otherwise.
For example, after the National Policy Institute, a “pro-European perspective” group, said “Hail Trump! Hail our people! Hail victory,” while giving the Nazi Salute, Trump did not speak out himself. His spokesperson just said, “Trump has continued to denounce racism of any kind and he was elected because he will be a leader for every American.” So again, maybe Trump, despite his lack of outright denouncements, will be a leader for every American. But his choice for his cabinet indicates otherwise.
Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama was nominated to serve as attorney general, which would allow him to enforce Trump’s radical immigration ideas and reducing government oversight of the police. Although Sessions failed to be confirmed by the Senate before, anything is possible at this point. Sessions was an ideal choice for Trump because he endorsed him immediately and agreed with Trump’s immigration policies.
In fact, Sessions was denied confirmation by the Senate because he appeared to sympathize with the KKK when he called the ACLU and NAACP “un-American” groups that were “trying to force civil rights down the throats of people.” Sessions even said that the KKK were “OK” until he found out they were “pot smokers.”
Trump also nominated Breitbart News’ Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist. Bannon was also endorsed by David Duke who approved strongly of the choice. Bannon has been accused of being anti-Semitic by his ex-wife, he is a white nationalist that wants to maintain political and economic superiority over minorities and supports racially discriminatory policies, and his articles have racist, sexists, and bigoted flavors. Bannon has called for an “ethnic cleansing.”
Trump’s latest choice General John F. Kelly for the head of the Department of Homeland Security shares similar anti-immigration, anti-bureaucracy, and anti-Middle eastern views. This position of power will allow him to act on Trump’s strict immigration rules and will give Trump another aide who supports his more unconventional beliefs.