It’s been nine months since the election of Donald Trump and his political gestation has left America embarrassed and at substantial risk internationally and domestically. Trump has effectively gestated “bull horn” politics.
No longer is racism, or nationalism, dog whistle politics. Trump has allowed the discriminatory views of some in our society to be amplified by the presidential bully pulpit. Whether it is telling African American athletes how they can protest mistreatment of African Americans in our society or saying that it is OK to discriminate against the LGBT community, the Trump administration has made it clear that it will shout horrible views from the rooftops.
The oppressor telling the oppressed how they can protest is ridiculous on its face. Trump has forgotten the basic tenet of free speech, “I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” The president and vice president should be defending an athlete’s right to take a knee during the national anthem, just like they defended white supremacists in Charlottesville. Of course, that would be internally consistent, but we all know Trump is a hypocrite.
Trump has done something no other president has been able to do; he has diminished the office of the presidency.
Trump supporters simply do not care about what is happening to the stature of the presidency or America. As Trump saber rattles with North Korea, repeatedly wastes time and resources trying to repeal Obamacare and talks about a wall that will never be built, many Trump voters seem steadfast in their support of the president. I hate to say it, but Trump was right, he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose a vote. The good thing is that does not mean that Trump will get re-elected.
Trump has unprecedented wrong track polls; 74 percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. No president can be re-elected with poll numbers like that. Of course, Trump has three years for a course correction. I just don’t know how the leopard will change his spots. Trump is a sexist nationalist who hates immigrants, thinks minorities are unappreciative of the opportunities afforded them in America and believes he is entitled to all the white privilege America has to offer.
What is a voter to do? We can vote out those Republicans that support Trump and his new Republican Party. We can press for impeachment if the Russia probe proves to reveal inappropriate behavior by the Trump family and associates. But in the end, we may be stuck with Trump through 2020. An exhausting thought at best, potential world chaos at worst.
In the end, the American people elected Trump and they deserve to pay for it. Including those of us who voted for Hillary. I ask myself every day, was I too complacent? Should I have contributed or volunteered more for Hillary? Would it have made a difference?
The only people that should feel worse, but don’t, are those who voted for Trump. What will it take for Trump supporters to say I’m sorry to most Americans who did not vote for the “moron.”
STAMPP CORBIN
PUBLISHER
San Diego LGBT Weekly
The Silent Majority has spoken, you lost your chance when you refused to call out Hillary for rigging the primary elections against Bernie Sanders. Nobody that has a memory of the past, or can read would vote for Hillary Clinton. She is corrupt, she called blacks super predictors, and like her husband didn’t support gay marriage.
Trump knows all there is to know about free speech, unfortunately as is so predictable the oppressed have become the oppressors, citing imaginary white privilege and offensive speech. It is the left that has forgotten what free speech is, the left wants to censor everything that is not in conformance with their orthodoxy. You are ether for free speech or you are not, this issue is as black and white as that.
Some of those so called Log Cabin Republicans should have the balls to tell the truth about the left.
It looks like the left leaning Gay Mafia has taken over.
RIP to political diversity.
Liz W.