Quote:
Originally Posted by Anteater
You missed the point I was making completely. Yes, Trump is "racist"...but so is everyone to some extent. FDR was a racist. JFK was a racist to some extent and misogynistic. We've never had a president who didn't exhibit issues of character at some point. Not a single one. And liberals can be very racist too: go read some of the things supposedly "tolerant" liberals have said about Sen. Tim Scott on Twitter based on an opinion he had when choosing to endorse Sessions.
The logical fallacy that you and countless others make in your analysis of Trump is that he is PERSONALLY driven by racial hatred, which is what I'm arguing against. He did not run for president because he hates other races. The fact that racists flocked to him was a byproduct of his populist approach and nationalist ideas in regards to America's place in the world: racism wasn't his core message and it never motivated him in any of his business ventures previously. The truth is that Trump doesn't care about race at all. For better or for worse. If radical white Irishmen were the ones donning exploding vests in places like France, he'd ban Ireland and target anyone who looked white with stereotypical red hair.
Someone saying that "I don't understand racism" is not a logical argument when I point to his hiring history, which is a reasonable argument to make considering how it has already been discussed here, for instance, that if a business doesn't tolerate homosexuality for religious reasons they certainly won't go out of their way to hire people of that orientation. Racists who make decisions in life based on hatred follow a similar principle. If I have no credibility, then prove it with an argument that works.
|
So you're basically once again excusing his racist and sexist remarks because "others before him were also racist." Sorry, but no. Donald Trump is different. He played to the weak white republican party in order to persuade people in other parties and races to vote for him. His racist and sexist remarks were built out of fear and that is what got him the support. He promised things he couldn't deliver. He supported things many people would see as classless and wrong. He tempted fate and won through cabinet nominations and otherwise. But it was ok because he was running for the most important chair in the country. Again, when you hold that power, of course people are going to cling to you whether it's through racist remarks or otherwise.
Sure, I guess I could agree that maybe his entire campaign wasn't built on hatred and bigotry, but a large chunk of it was. But a large chunk of his support stemmed from people being upset with how things are and evidently Trump promised things that could fix those problems. Again, lies.
In summation: just because other people have done it, doesn't mean Trump should be any less held accountable.