(Cartoon is by Randall Enos at cagle.com.)Last Saturday, Donald Trump disappointed most Americans when he failed to condemn racists, white supremacists, and Nazis who had gathered in Charlottesville Virginia. Instead, he spoke of many groups -- as though the hate groups were just one of many ordinary political groups in this country.
He was wrong. Racists like the KKK are evil. White supremacists are evil. Nazis are evil. And their political views are all unacceptable in this diverse nation of immigrants. Their views are anathema to a nation built on equality and rule of law -- because they want to put one group above all others. That is simply un-American, and it should have been an easy call for any president to condemn them.
It took a couple of days, but his aides in the White House finally convinced him he had not done enough, and that he needed to specifically condemn racists, white supremacists, and nazis. On Monday, he grudgingly did that -- and many, including leaders in his own party, breathed a sigh of relief.
But Trump's conversion didn't last long. In a short press conference on Tuesday, he walked back his Monday comments. Once again, he said there were good (and bad) people on both sides in Charlottesville. In other words, the racists and nazis were just as good as those who oppose racism and fascism. That's a shocking idea, especially coming from the country's leader.
Why would Trump do this? Why would he help the alt-right (the racists, nazis, white supremacists, etc.)? He did it because he agrees with them. He wants the same thing they want -- an authoritarian government and society controlled by whites. He will deny it, but all racists deny they are racist. They know that is not an acceptable label in this country. But claims don't make a person what they are -- actions do.
And Trump has a clear history of racism and bigotry -- from his banning Blacks from his real estate ventures to his speeches against groups during his campaign (Mexicans, muslims, etc.). He has not changed since becoming president. That was shown by his appointing several white supremacists to his White House staff (Bannon, Gorka, Miller) and appointing a known racist to be Attorney General.
Trump's actions show he is a racist and a bigot, and his words on Tuesday were taken by the alt-right as legitimizing their sick movement. Here's what racist David Dukes said after listening to Trump on Tuesday:
On Tuesday, Donald Trump gave away what little moral authority he had left. He has made it clear where he stands -- against common decency, equality, and the United States Constitution.
