That said, let's face it: the rise of Trump sure has produced a lot of this kind of ugliness and blatant racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, and general xenophobia in the United States, making us kind of the world's pariah. We keep extolling our national virtues and claiming "American exceptionalism," but right about now, we look exceptionally backwards to much of the rest of the world.
Hate crimes have spiked since Trump's rise in the 2016 election, and racists and violent bigots apparently feel empowered. Not surprising, since Trump is a fairly transparent racist, even if he himself denies this, claiming he is the least racist person anyone could ever meet. Funny, because the least racist person likely would not label a whole group of people (Mexicans) as rapists and criminals, or that African and Central America nations are "shithole nations" or numerous other things that he seems so comfortable with saying.
We have outright seen white supremacists and Nazis not only marching on American streets, but running for prominent public office. We have one prospective politician in the South putting up a billboard saying "Make America White Again.:
Now, we have a member of the GOP in California saying point blank that "Jews must be stopped."
Frankly, it is an embarrassment, and completely shameful.
Welcome to Trump's America.
We have outright seen white supremacists and Nazis not only marching on American streets, but running for prominent public office. We have one prospective politician in the South putting up a billboard saying "Make America White Again.:
Now, we have a member of the GOP in California saying point blank that "Jews must be stopped."
Frankly, it is an embarrassment, and completely shameful.
Welcome to Trump's America.
‘Jews Must Be Stopped’: California GOP Congressional Candidate Robocall July 11, 2018 By Alyssa Fisher Read more: https://forward.com/fast-forward/405235/jews-must-be-stopped-california-gop-congressional-candidate-robocall/
As vile an excuse for a human being as he is, I don't think Trump "produces" racism or xenophobia, so much as emboldens racists and xenophobes to express their views openly and with impunity. In other words, such sentiments are neither new nor even increasing, even if it may seem that way when many of the lowlifes who kept their racial and ethnic hatred on the down-low no longer see a need to do so. As you've frequently mentioned in your blog, too many people in this country have tended to turn a blind eye to the fact that there are vast legions of people out there whose views are abjectly offensive and backwards. That's become untenable – we no longer have that luxury, as it's more out in the open than it has been in decades. It's an ugly and sobering reality.
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