I have been
listening to the chatter on TV for the last couple of days about whether Trump
voters and supporters are "racists".
The conversation has picked up considerably since the
"Roseanne" show was canceled due to a racist social media post from
the show's star Roseanne Barr. Opinions
on the subject are predictably varied. Some
Trump supporters claim they are not racists because they support Trump based on
other issues instead of race. They claim
that detaching themselves from the racist comments and behavior of Trump means
that they are not racists. Some passionately
deny they are racists, but say they support Trump no matter what he may
be. Others deny that both they and Trump
are racists even though I have personally heard some of them engaging in racist
tirades using strong racist language.
One of my own distant relatives even tried to convince me on social
media yesterday that she is not a racist even though she voted for Trump and
was supporting a racist comment made by another relative. So I have been mulling over the question
myself, does voting for and supporting a racist like Trump make one a racist
too?
There was
not long ago in modern history a leader who was elected and supported by the
people of his nation when he murdered six million people that he claimed were
of another inferior race. History not
only holds Hitler responsible for that act of racism and genocide, but also all
the German people who supported him too. The
German people could not claim in the end that they were not like Hitler, because they did nothing to stop him. They were responsible too. They supported him. They didn't stop him. They were his accomplices and complicit in
his crimes. And so it is now with
the supporters of Donald Trump. They not only voted for him while knowing what he is, but they also continue to support him while he continues his racist
and divisive ways.
When one knowingly supports the
words of a liar and does nothing to bring out the truth, is not one a liar
too? When one enables and supports a
murderer in the commission of his crime, is he not a murderer too? Both common morality and the law say that you
are. And when one knowingly enables and supports a racist, doing nothing to stop the racist,, is not he or she a racist too?
There
is no doubt in my mind that Trump is a racist.
His past actions as a landlord, public statements and tweets, silent
support for white supremacists, appointment of known racists to government
positions, racist executive orders, and support of racist political candidates
make that clear. The question is, does
voting for and continuing to support such a person make one a racist too. I think the answer to that question has to be "yes". When you choose a leader, you choose someone whom you think best represents you and what you are. If you vote to make a
racist your leader and then you support him in his racist leadership, then
you are a racist too. Everything he does
with your vote and your support is something you are complicit in. You are his accomplice, and you are as he
is.
Trump is a racist and if you support and encourage him, you are too.
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