Let’s take a look at the United States, the country worst affected by COVID-19. While also poorly battling a pandemic, the United States is witnessing a modern civil rights movement for Black rights that is unsatisfied with the government. On top of that, we’re seeing the propagation of transphobia by the government through attempts to legally suppress them, and endeavors to destroy the lives of over half a million immigrants. Above all, we have a president who would rather hide from these alarming issues in his comfy White House bunker then face them head on. We must first applaud Trump for delivering on his promise of making America great again - clearly, every American is currently dying to live in this country. Literally.
Right now, America is a rough place to live in if you’re underprivileged, a POC, and/or a member of the LGBTQ community. But these people were never his concern; not back in 2016 and certainly not in 2020. It baffles the mind that the president of arguably the most glorified country in the world actually stated that reducing testing would reduce COVID-19 cases, as if denying the existence of the pandemic would make it go away. This man is not leader material - it’s evident every time he opens his mouth. So if you’re thinking about voting for Trump, know that you’d be voting for sexism, racism, islamophobia, transphobia, white supremacy, and incredibly vague and repetitive speeches. The reason this article stresses upon this issue at this moment is because now, more than ever, we need intersectional feminism that is absolutely inclusive, and will continue to be inclusive even after this fusion of BLM and Pride month is long gone. And that kind of culture cannot flourish under the presidency of a man who faces dozens of rape allegations and labels people protesting against racism as “dangerous thugs”.
Black Lives Matter is not a radical left political view. It has nothing to do with liberals or even politics at all - it’s a demand for humanity and fundamental civil rights. Why must something so basic as the right to live irrespective of the color of your skin be politicized? There cannot and should not be any debate about whether racism prevails and whether action must be taken to stop it, regardless of political alliance. So, when Trump has established himself as an inhumane and indifferent president in regard to this cause, there should be no question about whether he needs to be kicked out of office, again regardless of political alliance. How has he established himself in this manner, you ask?
1) Condemnation of Antifa
Antifa is an anti-fascist movement against extreme right-wing ideologies. Trump declared that Antifa would be designated as a terrorist organization, even though Antifa is neither an organization, to begin with, nor can it be legally classified as a terrorist one at that. He has repeatedly condemned the violence erupting during BLM protests and blames Antifa for the violence. Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane to 2017: the statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee was to be taken down and the White supremacists of Charlottesville, Virginia, prepared for an alt-right White nationalist rally on August 11 and 12, 2017, to protest it. The rally witnessed the death of a woman named Heather Heyer, violence from Neo-Nazis, and scheduled Ku Klux Klan speakers- yet Trump went as far as to defend this rally by calling its members “very fine people” and simply mentioned the KKK and Neo-Nazis as “very bad people”. He did not threaten to send the National Guard to suppress these people. He did not attempt to declare the KKK as a terrorist organization but rather gave them what can only be described as nothing more than a light slap on the wrist. He hides behind the First Amendment when it favors him and his precious confederate statues, but not when African-Americans demand an end to discriminatory murders.
2) Gave Rush Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is given to citizens who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors". Trump chose Rush Limbaugh, an incredibly racist and misogynistic radio talk show host, to receive the same award that ironically, iconic black civil activists like Rosa Parks and Maya Angelou once did. Limbaugh spouts racism on a regular basis. He said slavery “had its merits” and “made the streets safer after dark”. He said all wanted criminals resemble pictures of Jesse Jackson, a Black civil rights activist, and politician. He said “They’re [Black people] 12% of the population. Who the hell cares?” This is the kind of rhetoric and culture Trump not only encourages, but bestows upon the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Clearly, Trump thought Rush Limbaugh’s conspiracy theory on how Obama was sending lesbian farmers to invade red states resonated with his own on how Obama is a Kenyan Muslim, and warranted the selection of Limbaugh for one of the greatest civilian honors in America.
3) Believes #BlueLivesMatter
In an interview with Bill O’ Reilly on Fox News in 2016, Trump said that the killing of police officers was going to be one of the most important issues in his presidential campaign. For those who are surprised by the fact that he called protestors thugs and looters, take note that Trump said in this interview that the movement was “not acceptable” and that he would have the BLM movement investigated because he had apparently seen them calling “death to the police.” And we all know how credible Trump is. This was in 2016. It’s been 4 years, and nothing has changed - well, for the better, anyways. It is impossible for our pleas to defund the police to be heard in a presidency where only blue lives matter and Black lives never will.
4) Tried to hold a Trump rally in Tulsa on Juneteenth, 2020.
This is problematic on so many levels. Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the site of what is considered the single worst incident of racial violence in American history- the Tulsa Massacre. In 1921, huge mobs of white people attacked black people’s homes and businesses, armed with guns and explosives. More than 800 people were injured and around 136 people died.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, is a day that commemorates the emancipation of all slaves in America. It was the day that slaves in Galveston, Texas, were finally told that they were free in 1865, even though Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was passed in 1863, 2 years before. Trump chose to hold his Trump Rally on June 19th, 2020, in Tulsa, despite the fact that the entire country is fighting for the BLM movement. He changed the date only due to pressure and did not care to mention BLM even once at his rally.
These incidents barely scrape the tip of the iceberg that is Trump’s racism. Here’s more evidence of his and his administration’s other forms of hatred:
Passed a regulation that allowed doctors, hospitals, and health insurance companies to discriminate against transgender patients on the 4th anniversary of a gay nightclub shooting in Florida, and in the middle of Pride Month.
Attempted to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an Obama-era program that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrant children from deportation.
Once again attempted to attack LGBTQ rights by arguing against the protection of LGBTQ people against workplace discrimination. However, the Supreme Court shut down this attempt in a 6-3 ruling.
The 3 attacks on civil rights mentioned above all took place within a single month.
“You have to treat ‘em like shit,” and the infamous “Grab them by the pussy,” really need no further introduction or explanation.
Sure, unemployment rates are at an all-time low and median household incomes are at a decline for many communities of color, but racism must not be a cost that POC have to pay for upliftment. Is it too much to ask for a president that is, at the very least, not racist, sexist, and transphobic at a time when we’re all trying to be actively anti-racist and actively advocating against all other forms of senseless hatred? Our president needs to be an efficient leader. Our president needs to be a visionary. But above all, our president absolutely needs to be a good person, and Trump doesn’t fit that bill.
Most teenagers obviously can’t vote. But that doesn’t mean they can’t make a statement. Only about 6,000 people showed up to the Tulsa rally mentioned above, even though Trump stated that millions had registered to attend and the stadium was expected to be overflowing with about 40,000 attendees. Why? Because teenagers on TikTok decided to advocate their understandable, political views by ordering the free tickets and not showing up. So when only 6,000 people arrived at Trump’s rally, these teens didn’t pull a prank; they engaged in activism. They made a statement. With every petition signed, every post shared, and every protest attended, you make a statement. Keep making those statements, all the way through November 2020 and beyond.
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