You make a lot of good points. I would say, however, that Trump’s first foray into racist politics started long before Obama. At least as early as 1989, with the infamous ad calling for the execution of the Central Park Five (who were, of course later exonerated—though Trump doubled down on racist claims even thereafter: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/17/central-park-five-donald-trump-jogger-rape-case-new-york
I've always thought this.... Trump believes whatever he says is correct -- that all his lies should be accepted as unquestionable fact because he is a white man. What's even better for Trump is that some in the media -- not all FN -- treat what Trump says as fact too. Amplifying his lies to the point where it takes years until the truth is heard over all this garbage.
Casting off the dog whistles, and leading the racist charge upfront and out loud, trump should remind us of how much of centuries of slavery were never resolved or repaired and in fact continue to be acted out daily in our shared white social consciences.
As his psychologist niece, Mary Trump, points out, this is a personality disordered person who cannot ever believe he is wrong.
Perhaps with that weird attribute he will serve to lead us, however backwardly, into the study and discussion and overdue resolution of our own horrific history.
::when Trump calls Milwaukee a “horrible city,” it’s mostly shrugged off, because cities like Milwaukee are home to many non-white people::
I didn't know Germans, Poles and Hungarians weren't White! Maybe if they knew they'd be more in favor of Affirmative Action because it benefits THEM...?
I guess this means that Donald Trump's success is only based on him being a German, and thus a DEI Hire.
____
I shouldn't have to point out this is sarcasm, but there are so many stupid people in America who right now are scratching their heads and going, "Y'know...."
agreed overall. just a tiny departure on a single criterion in the 'what TFG finds genuine/authentic' checklist:
of course i'm long past convinced that he depends on a significant [coalition? plurality? whatever] of Christians as a voter base and/or cover for getting away with so much repugnant shit. and that he benefitted from the guidance of Norman Vincent frigging Peale. but he also owes more to Roy Cohn than he could probably ever articulate (even if he were to ever begin expressing gratitude to anyone for anything).
anyway, i'm nowhere near being even half-convinced that he genuinely takes anyone seriously on the basis of whether they cleave to any particular religion. i've never seen/heard evidence that he's given more than lip service to any Christian-qua-Christian element/enterprise. which i only really bring up because the idea of him making Christians look bad just always feels like an especially jarring category error. i mean, the converse is not that they make him look bad either - to the contrary, countless hacks with undeserved platforms and influence [Dobson et al.] make him look good [to people who've had their curiosity about the world and how it works absolutely stunted] on the regular.
as an atheist raised Pentecostal-lite, I don't mean to appoint myself judge of who's 'really actually Christian' - I do mostly adhere to the "anyone who explicitly identifies themselves as X deserves to be labeled as X" - but allow for just as much nuance in interpretation as is justified when [e.g.] apologists drop well-poisoning, water-muddying turds like "take it from me - i used to be an atheist!"
the Christian componenr of the phrase is incidental rather than a criterion. Bur of course whatt's hardly coincidental is the sectarian slant of who's been cooking up pipe-nightmares like Project 2025 for the last 50+ years.
You make a lot of good points. I would say, however, that Trump’s first foray into racist politics started long before Obama. At least as early as 1989, with the infamous ad calling for the execution of the Central Park Five (who were, of course later exonerated—though Trump doubled down on racist claims even thereafter: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/17/central-park-five-donald-trump-jogger-rape-case-new-york
Right you are; I think I qualified it in an earlier version but must have gotten cut in edits; thanks for the correction!
Succinct and brilliant! Please, please, let this politcal movement be the start of confronting the sickness of racism.
I've always thought this.... Trump believes whatever he says is correct -- that all his lies should be accepted as unquestionable fact because he is a white man. What's even better for Trump is that some in the media -- not all FN -- treat what Trump says as fact too. Amplifying his lies to the point where it takes years until the truth is heard over all this garbage.
Great explainer on what goons like trump are pushing (and is so eagerly accepted by too many - either accidentally or purposely).
Casting off the dog whistles, and leading the racist charge upfront and out loud, trump should remind us of how much of centuries of slavery were never resolved or repaired and in fact continue to be acted out daily in our shared white social consciences.
As his psychologist niece, Mary Trump, points out, this is a personality disordered person who cannot ever believe he is wrong.
Perhaps with that weird attribute he will serve to lead us, however backwardly, into the study and discussion and overdue resolution of our own horrific history.
Thanks so much for this piece.
::when Trump calls Milwaukee a “horrible city,” it’s mostly shrugged off, because cities like Milwaukee are home to many non-white people::
I didn't know Germans, Poles and Hungarians weren't White! Maybe if they knew they'd be more in favor of Affirmative Action because it benefits THEM...?
I guess this means that Donald Trump's success is only based on him being a German, and thus a DEI Hire.
____
I shouldn't have to point out this is sarcasm, but there are so many stupid people in America who right now are scratching their heads and going, "Y'know...."
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
agreed overall. just a tiny departure on a single criterion in the 'what TFG finds genuine/authentic' checklist:
of course i'm long past convinced that he depends on a significant [coalition? plurality? whatever] of Christians as a voter base and/or cover for getting away with so much repugnant shit. and that he benefitted from the guidance of Norman Vincent frigging Peale. but he also owes more to Roy Cohn than he could probably ever articulate (even if he were to ever begin expressing gratitude to anyone for anything).
anyway, i'm nowhere near being even half-convinced that he genuinely takes anyone seriously on the basis of whether they cleave to any particular religion. i've never seen/heard evidence that he's given more than lip service to any Christian-qua-Christian element/enterprise. which i only really bring up because the idea of him making Christians look bad just always feels like an especially jarring category error. i mean, the converse is not that they make him look bad either - to the contrary, countless hacks with undeserved platforms and influence [Dobson et al.] make him look good [to people who've had their curiosity about the world and how it works absolutely stunted] on the regular.
as an atheist raised Pentecostal-lite, I don't mean to appoint myself judge of who's 'really actually Christian' - I do mostly adhere to the "anyone who explicitly identifies themselves as X deserves to be labeled as X" - but allow for just as much nuance in interpretation as is justified when [e.g.] apologists drop well-poisoning, water-muddying turds like "take it from me - i used to be an atheist!"
I don't think he has a sincere belief in Christian doctrine. I think he believes in (white) Christian supremacy.
again, I suspect that in his mind
the Christian componenr of the phrase is incidental rather than a criterion. Bur of course whatt's hardly coincidental is the sectarian slant of who's been cooking up pipe-nightmares like Project 2025 for the last 50+ years.