Is Trump racist?

[Anonymous]

But figuring out whether Trump is or acts like a racist (bigot) is the point of this thread.

That is why I said that.

You don't fix a system by denying people certain things solely based on their religion. What are you going to do to fix the system after the church shooting in Charleston last year. Should we ban white males? That guy was white.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_church_shooting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But figuring out whether Trump is or acts like a racist (bigot) is the point of this thread.

That is why I said that.

You don't fix a system by denying people certain things solely based on their religion. What are you going to do to fix the system after the church shooting in Charleston last year. Should we ban white males? That guy was white.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_church_shooting

The US has no obligation to let in anybody. Almost 1 out of 10 Muslims currently in the US think that suicide bombing is sometimes or always acceptable. Only 40% believe that Arabs carried out the 9/11 attacks. Almost half consider themselves Muslim first and American second. Less than half coming to the US think that they should adapt American customs. The numbers are even worse for younger Muslims in the US. Muslim immigration isn't good for the US; many of them don't want to integrate. I'm glad someone has the guts to say it.

[Anonymous]

The U.S. doesn't have to let in anybody, but we are a primarily a country of immigrants and immigrants' descendants.

It is a sad, sad day when a country that supposedly believes in religious freedom and tolerance proposes to ban a group of people based solely on their religion, not on their political beliefs or their past. So sad, and so bigoted. That's Trump and his followers, alas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a minority female and don't get the racist vibe. He definitely speaks in broad sweeping stereotypical race comments as his sound bytes. He's a character and a clown and that's been his way for long now, it would be weird and fake if he spoke in more politically correct ways.

Growing up as a second gen kid in the South, I heard all kinds of ignorant speak and stereotyping. Most of these people were not actually racist, just spoke in less cultured ways.

What I've heard from Trump, weeding through the extra which I've also learned to do growing up in South, is that he isn't opposed to immigrants, just illegal immigration. That he isn't opposed to Muslims, but to Islamism that is causing trouble in many parts of the world right now (Europe, Middle East, South Asian, Africa, Australia- it's not make believe) and doesn't want American soil to be the next country dealing with this fanaticism.

No not everyone who thinks these things are racist or bigoted. It's okay to have concerns about these issues. It's not okay to be called a racist, bigot, Islamophobe, Mexican hater or whatever simply for voicing these concerns.

Now do I think he could actually address any of these issues if he made it to the WH? That's debatable. I doubt it. I definitely rolled my eyes when he threw his hat into the ring and made fun of him too.

I've been up close and personal with racists, have been subject to harassment and violence. I'm all too familiar with true racism. I don't think Trump is racist. A doof, maybe. Racist, no.
4

OP here, Thank you for your perspective! Very interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The U.S. doesn't have to let in anybody, but we are a primarily a country of immigrants and immigrants' descendants.

It is a sad, sad day when a country that supposedly believes in religious freedom and tolerance proposes to ban a group of people based solely on their religion, not on their political beliefs or their past. So sad, and so bigoted. That's Trump and his followers, alas.

It's pretty hard to separate their religion from their political beliefs actions etc. People think it's "hard" to come up with a way to "ban" Muslims; how much harder is it to determine which ones will integrate, be productive members of society, not be "interested" or susceptible to radical Islam and so on? Muslim immigration into Europe has been and continues to be a complete disaster. Not all Muslims are incompatible with western society, but a significant percentage are. I'm just not sure why people are hell bent on doing something which will almost certainly be bad for this country. Google "Malmö Sweden bombings"; I don't want that for the US. Let me know when you come up with a way to determine which ones will successfully integrate and have kids who will do so as well. Until then I'd prefer to allow immigration from groups who have a track record of successful integration.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The U.S. doesn't have to let in anybody, but we are a primarily a country of immigrants and immigrants' descendants.

It is a sad, sad day when a country that supposedly believes in religious freedom and tolerance proposes to ban a group of people based solely on their religion, not on their political beliefs or their past. So sad, and so bigoted. That's Trump and his followers, alas.

It's pretty hard to separate their religion from their political beliefs actions etc. People think it's "hard" to come up with a way to "ban" Muslims; how much harder is it to determine which ones will integrate, be productive members of society, not be "interested" or susceptible to radical Islam and so on? Muslim immigration into Europe has been and continues to be a complete disaster. Not all Muslims are incompatible with western society, but a significant percentage are. I'm just not sure why people are hell bent on doing something which will almost certainly be bad for this country. Google "Malmö Sweden bombings"; I don't want that for the US. Let me know when you come up with a way to determine which ones will successfully integrate and have kids who will do so as well. Until then I'd prefer to allow immigration from groups who have a track record of successful integration.

The question asked in the original post is whether Trump is a racist. A policy that discriminates against one entire religion is not by definition "racist", but can be described in similar terms. When some of us described that policy in such terms, posters objected and said that Trump did not favor such a discriminatory policy. These responses, however, accept that Trump indeed supports a discriminatory policy and are simply arguing justifications for that policy. The fact that Trump and these posters favor religion-based discrimination is not being disputed.

[Anonymous]

Methinks this entire thread was created by people working for Trump. Sorry, you don't fool me, or any thinking voter. It's obvious that the man is a racist, sexist pig. I can't believe this thread continues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Methinks this entire thread was created by people working for Trump. Sorry, you don't fool me, or any thinking voter. It's obvious that the man is a racist, sexist pig. I can't believe this thread continues.

Obvious, only to you.
And, it is my opinion that anyone who uses the term “methinks” is indeed easily fooled.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The U.S. doesn't have to let in anybody, but we are a primarily a country of immigrants and immigrants' descendants.

It is a sad, sad day when a country that supposedly believes in religious freedom and tolerance proposes to ban a group of people based solely on their religion, not on their political beliefs or their past. So sad, and so bigoted. That's Trump and his followers, alas.

It's pretty hard to separate their religion from their political beliefs actions etc. People think it's "hard" to come up with a way to "ban" Muslims; how much harder is it to determine which ones will integrate, be productive members of society, not be "interested" or susceptible to radical Islam and so on? Muslim immigration into Europe has been and continues to be a complete disaster. Not all Muslims are incompatible with western society, but a significant percentage are. I'm just not sure why people are hell bent on doing something which will almost certainly be bad for this country. Google "Malmö Sweden bombings"; I don't want that for the US. Let me know when you come up with a way to determine which ones will successfully integrate and have kids who will do so as well. Until then I'd prefer to allow immigration from groups who have a track record of successful integration.

The question asked in the original post is whether Trump is a racist. A policy that discriminates against one entire religion is not by definition "racist", but can be described in similar terms. When some of us described that policy in such terms, posters objected and said that Trump did not favor such a discriminatory policy. These responses, however, accept that Trump indeed supports a discriminatory policy and are simply arguing justifications for that policy. The fact that Trump and these posters favor religion-based discrimination is not being disputed.

We "discriminate" all the time with respect to who is allowed into this country. That's called common sense. A religion is not a "race", so it's clearly not a "racist" policy.

[Anonymous]

I am the poster who linked to Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. I said this is evidence of bigotry and willingness to discriminate on the basis of a single categorical variable, in this case religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he even says things like dealing with people "going off the reservation". Of course he's racist.

Very cute - I see what you did there. Because common expressions that have been in use for so long no one even thinks about their deeper meaning are a sure sign of RACISM!!!![i][u]

Yes, that's why everyone is so adamant that the Redskins have to change their name. Is one worse than the other?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he even says things like dealing with people "going off the reservation". Of course he's racist.

wasn't it hillary who said that?

Of course it was. This is what passes for subtle wit among some folks.

To clarify, I don't mean Hillary. I mean the Sanders supporter who is using this thread to trash Clinton, but who is inadvertently reinforcing negative perceptions about a certain subset of Sanders backers. The latter is dismaying, because most Sanders supporters are not like this. Only a small but very vocal group of them.

PP here. Good try, but no. I support Trump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he even says things like dealing with people "going off the reservation". Of course he's racist.

wasn't it hillary who said that?

Of course it was. This is what passes for subtle wit among some folks.

To clarify, I don't mean Hillary. I mean the Sanders supporter who is using this thread to trash Clinton, but who is inadvertently reinforcing negative perceptions about a certain subset of Sanders backers. The latter is dismaying, because most Sanders supporters are not like this. Only a small but very vocal group of them.

PP here. Good try, but no. I support Trump.

So you are the Sanders backer who will support Trump in November?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The U.S. doesn't have to let in anybody, but we are a primarily a country of immigrants and immigrants' descendants.

It is a sad, sad day when a country that supposedly believes in religious freedom and tolerance proposes to ban a group of people based solely on their religion, not on their political beliefs or their past. So sad, and so bigoted. That's Trump and his followers, alas.

It's pretty hard to separate their religion from their political beliefs actions etc. People think it's "hard" to come up with a way to "ban" Muslims; how much harder is it to determine which ones will integrate, be productive members of society, not be "interested" or susceptible to radical Islam and so on? Muslim immigration into Europe has been and continues to be a complete disaster. Not all Muslims are incompatible with western society, but a significant percentage are. I'm just not sure why people are hell bent on doing something which will almost certainly be bad for this country. Google "Malmö Sweden bombings"; I don't want that for the US. Let me know when you come up with a way to determine which ones will successfully integrate and have kids who will do so as well. Until then I'd prefer to allow immigration from groups who have a track record of successful integration.

The question asked in the original post is whether Trump is a racist. A policy that discriminates against one entire religion is not by definition "racist", but can be described in similar terms. When some of us described that policy in such terms, posters objected and said that Trump did not favor such a discriminatory policy. These responses, however, accept that Trump indeed supports a discriminatory policy and are simply arguing justifications for that policy. The fact that Trump and these posters favor religion-based discrimination is not being disputed.

We "discriminate" all the time with respect to who is allowed into this country. That's called common sense. A religion is not a "race", so it's clearly not a "racist" policy.

I assume Hitler thought it was common sense when he chose to discriminate based on the same factor on which you are supporting discrimination. This is a country in which freedom of religion is a fundamental value. It is very sad to see how easily people like you are willing to cast that value aside. Are you actually arguing that discrimination on the basis of religion is better than discrimination on the basis of race? Are you arguing, "I'm not a racist, I'm simply an Islamophobe"? Obviously, that is your right, but it seems awfully wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, he even says things like dealing with people "going off the reservation". Of course he's racist.

wasn't it hillary who said that?

Of course it was. This is what passes for subtle wit among some folks.

To clarify, I don't mean Hillary. I mean the Sanders supporter who is using this thread to trash Clinton, but who is inadvertently reinforcing negative perceptions about a certain subset of Sanders backers. The latter is dismaying, because most Sanders supporters are not like this. Only a small but very vocal group of them.

PP here. Good try, but no. I support Trump.

So you are the Sanders backer who will support Trump in November?

No, I'm a republican who supports Trump.