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Donald Trump has expressed his disapproval of organizations designed to help African-Americans many times. Recently it has been exposed that employees of his own hotels would hide African-American workers from him. Therefore it is no surprise that he does not support the Black Lives Matter movement.
The President was asked why African-Americans were killed by the police, to which he responded, “So are White people. So are White people. What a terrible question to ask. So are white people,” “More White people, by the way. More White people.” Although the president is right that more white people are killed per year than black people, this does not change the Black Lives Matter argument. White people make up 60% of the united states, while African-Americans only make up 13%. With these numbers, it is shown that African-Americans are more likely to be killed by police by 2.5 times.
Trump on Black Lives Matter
The President has made the most direct attack against Black Lives Matter then anyone else since the George Floyd protests. On Twitter, he stated “Black Lives Matter leader states, ‘If U.S. doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it’. This is Treason, Sedition, Insurrection!” The issue here it seems is that the President defines the protests by their most violent members, yet refuses to do the same for police.
The President continues his attack on the movement, once again on Twitter by posting “Told that @NYCMayor Bill de Blasio wants to paint the fabled & beautiful Fifth Avenue, right in front of Trump Tower/Tiffany, with a big yellow Black Lives Matter sign. “Pigs in a Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon”, referring to killing Police, is their chant. NYC Police are furious!” The President voices his protest of a Black Lives Matter mural and claims the anthem of Black lives Matter is one of killing police, rather than saving black lives.
Trump’s Racism
It has been known for quite some time that the President has made many insensitive or discriminatory remarks. During his campaign, videoes and witnesses had come forward to expose his sexism. Even more recently during a campaign rally, he called the Coronavirus “the Kung flu.” To many, this exposed the racism that Trump holds as he uses a stereotype to describe a virus that the whole world scrambles to eliminate. He claims he has no “regrets putting the onus back on China,” but blaming China for a virus that sprouted and racially profiling the people there are two different things.
Currently, Trump has been pushed to make some form of change in order to help mediate the tension between police and the Black Lives Matter movement. This led to an order being signed which creates a federal database of officers who have a history of excessive force. This seemed like a baby step to some, arguing that databases exist for murders, rapists, and other criminals, so there should already be one to help hold police accountable for their actions. This, however, did not silence Trump’s attacks on the movement calling Black Lives Matter “a symbol of hate.”
Offense and Defence
The President has been criticized over this extreme standpoint on the Black Lives Matter movement. Especially by those who claim he defends confederate icons yet bashes Black Lives Matter. He told NBC News earlier this month in regards to the confederate flag, “People love it and I know people that like the Confederate flag and they’re not thinking about slavery. I look at NASCAR … they had those flags all over the place. They stopped it. I just think it’s freedom of speech,” “Whether it’s Confederate flags or Black Lives Matter of anything else you want to talk about. It’s freedom of speech.”
This is a direct contradiction to his earlier statement. Here he claims Black Lives Matter and confederate flags are freedom of speech, but he also tweeted that the Black Lives Matter Movement is, “Treason, Sedition, Insurrection!” It is clear to many that Trump says whatever is convenient for him at the time, and that is clear through his contradictions as well as actions in support and attacks on certain groups.
Written by Joseph Nelson
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
CBS: Asked why Black Americans are killed by police, Trump responds, “So are White people”
CNBC: Trump cranks up attacks on the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice
CNN: Trump leans into racist rhetoric and downplays police violence against Black Americans
NPR: White House Defends Trump’s Use Of Racist Term To Describe Coronavirus
Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License