My hairdresser is expecting to be fired because she voted for Donald Trump.
So far, her boss, who took five “grief” days off work following the election, has demeaned, ignored, and – the real cherry on top – unfriended her on Facebook.
Across the country, other bosses and CEO’s are on witch-hunts to oust any Trump voters. Other voices are chastising Trump’s entire voter base. But making snap judgments about 62 million Americans’ character based on their ballot is poor judgment.
I did not vote for or against Trump based on any inflammatory comments made. I voted for him because his principles and policies most closely match my own.
This is not a popularity contest, contrary to what your average rioting millennial-who-presently-hates-the-Electoral-College might believe. I say “presently” because if Bernie Sanders decided tomorrow that the Electoral College is the greatest thing since free sliced bread, those millennials probably would too.
Imagine the election results were flipped with Clinton capturing 270 electoral votes and Trump winning the popular vote. Those same Democrats would be singing the Electoral College’s praises, probably asking where they could apply to attend this prestigious university.
But the flavor of the day is to hate on the electoral system and call Trump voters racist, homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic scum of the earth. In true wishy-washy fashion, Democrats are failing to realize this name-calling is counterproductive to their self-professed dogma of tolerance.
Hillary ostracized voters by infamously labeling them “deplorables.” If the Democrat establishment would like to snub even more potential voters, be my guest. But the data supporting their claims (like the data supporting their “high” likelihood of winning the White House) is a farce. Citing clear election data, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough admitted that millions of Americans who voted for Obama, not once but twice, voted for Trump this time around. And you’d like to tell me that those who voted for an African-American are racist? Even left-wing propaganda extraordinaire Michael Moore agrees that claiming half of Americans are racist bigots is nonsense.
Does racism exist today? Yes. But it’s not exclusive to one political persuasion, nor is it as widespread as they would have you believe.
Is half of America out to get minorities, gays, and women with Trump as their Pied Piper? No.
Google defines a racist as “a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another.” Trump has never once implied that whites are superior. Rather, he believes America’s sovereignty and citizens’ safety take precedence over incorporating as many immigrants into society as possible without effective screening. Trump isn’t a racist; he’s a nationalist.
It’s difficult to convince Democrats that Trump’s comments aren’t racist, simply because today’s “politically correct” definition of racism is so radically all-encompassing. If we’re defining racism as any comment with potential to hurt feelings of any member of any minority, then we might as well be The Racist States of America. The real issue is that Democrats and Republicans define racism differently.
Degrading an individual because of race is abominable. I will never defend anyone who thinks it’s okay to belittle African Americans because of their skin color or scream at Mexicans to go back over the border. That is racism. But those on the left conclude that deporting illegal immigrants is racist. Newsflash: that is not racism. Someone who breaks into your house can’t expect to just become part of the family.
I’m all for welcoming legal immigrants with patriotic intentions, but I’d rather not jeopardize my and my fellow Americans’ security to avoid hurt feelings.
Americans who voted for Trump are sick and tired of being demonized. Any Democrat who thinks continued name-calling will somehow draw these voters back into the liberal fold is misguided. Go ahead, keep calling us racists. It shows the continued hypocrisy of the “tolerant” left, and, likely as not, it will only strengthen conservative voting ranks in 2020.
Ms. Murphy is a sophomore studying politics and journalism.