3 Remarks From Donald Trump That Lost My Vote
The President of the United States has standards that they are held to which no one else is expected to maintain. When the President delivers a speech their words have been scrutinized by dozens of people. Every word chosen not at random but with a specific purpose to achieve a desired result from the audience. I have watched and read hundreds of Presidential speeches, remarks, and press briefings all of which are almost never deviated from what was written on the page. In this election cycle voters see the speeches given by Donald Trump as refreshing. He speaks from the heart and rarely uses a teleprompter. Impromptu speeches that Trump has become famous for or infamous depending on who you ask have garnered great support from Americans. Regardless of what he says his supporters are able to rationalize it as smart and savvy political phrase. In an age of sound bites being taken out of context it is odd to see sound bites that are just as bad or worse with context. Lets take a look at some of Mr. Trumps more venomous remarks over the just the past two years which were collected by Fair.org and Politifact.com.
1. On Sen. John McCain
“He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” During the Vietnam War John McCain was a combat pilot in the US Air Force. In 1967 his bomber was shot down and McCain was captured by North Vietnamese forces and held as a prisoner of war (POW) for six years till 1973. In this statement Trump is implying that POW's are less then other soldiers who serve. Any person who wants to be President but openly and apologetically insults veterans who have served and those currently serving disgusts me.
2. On the voters of Iowa
“How stupid are the people of Iowa?" Trump said this after coming second in the Iowa Caucus early this year. He lost to his then opponent Senator Ted Cruz in very unprecedented way. I cannot think of any president who openly insulted voters for not voting for them. When you lose in an election you take it with dignity and respect for having gotten that far in a tough campaign. For me someone calling voters stupid for not voting for them should be running for class president not president of the United States.
3. On his personal accounting
“Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.” On so many levels this remarks chills me to the bone. First, Trump is stating he hates "Black guys' counting his money for reasons he does not explain. Yet again we can see racists remarks that sound as if they came from the late 1950's. Second, instead of African Americans he would prefer that Jews count his money. The stereotype that Jews are good with money and accounting is not new but still it is derogatory. As a Jew how could I vote for someone who thinks all I am good for his pilling up his gold coins.
All of these remarks and more show just how far a man will go to gain power. If you support Trump please take the time to examine his polices and don’t rationalize his comments in a greater context. Don’t try to play off his racism, anti-Semitic remarks, and violent speeches for anything else because when you do you cheapen the work that others have fought for decades to achieve.