Post by Frank BergerOn Friday, November 27, 2020 at 12:55:05 AM UTC+1, Bob
Post by Bob HarperI was not aware of that, but it does not surprise me. Of
all the
ridiculous charges made against Donald Trump, the notion
that he is a
'racist' strikes me as the most ridiculous. Not making
obeisance to the
niceties of identity politics does not equal the 'R' word.
Bob Harper
Well, there is an extensive history (amply documented) of
Trump's racism, from the legal problems he and his dad
got into by systematically banning colored people from
the Trump housing projects, to his insistence the Central
Park Five should get the death penalty and should be
executed forthwith, even after they had been exonerated.
There is his remark in his Atlantic City era that he
didn't want black people "handling his money;" he wanted
guys in yarmulkes. (There are a lot of embarrassing
Jewish stereotypes Trump has been spooting over the
years, embarrassing, too, because his daughter (or as he
calls it, his "piece of ass") has converted to Judaism.)
His "Where is my black guy?" at a rally, as if he were a
slave owner. The way he tried to scare "suburban
housewives" with stories of low income ( = black) people
into their neighbourhoods. The whole thing in Michigan
just now, where a 150.000 votes in Wayne Cy were to be
removed because they were black votes. The list is
endless, the man is a deep-dyed 20th century racist, and
if that makes you uncomfortable, too bad. I am aware you
have found ways to think around this and say it's just
the Left saying Trump is a racist, and so be it.
Except that some of the "examples" aren't evidence of
racism. Favoring the death penalty for certain violent
crimes, for example, has zero to do with racism. The ads
Trump took out reflected general support for capital
punishment for certain violent crimes. They didn't mention
race or even the Central Park Five. Look it up.
"Where is my black guy" has nothing to do with slavery or
racism either. It means "Let's bring out that black
supporter front and center so people can see not all black
people hate me." It's not racist at all. It was political.
Regarding discrimination in renting. It was 50 years ago.
The Trumps entered into a consent decree not to
discriminate without admitting they did. At the time
Trump said they didn't rent to certain people, welfare
cases, white or black. It sounds like business people
trying to maintain the value of their investments.
Possible evidence of institutional racism, but certainly
no real evidence of any personal, let alone virulent
racism. Weak evidence at best. Not to mention ancient.
Whether Trump carries a certain amount of racism in his
heart I can't say. I wouldn't be surprised if he does, or
did. But as I've said many times, there are degrees of
evil. Making jokes about Jews being good with money on a
1-10 scale of antisemitism is a 1.
Are you embarrassed to have used the term "colored
people?" Doesn't that make you a racist?
Thanks, Frank.