It was just a few short months ago.
I was scrolling down my Twitter timeline, as usual, and then I saw it: Donald Trump is running for President in 2016.
I didn’t pay it any mind. I mean, let’s be honest: who’s actually going to vote for Donald Trump?
Silly Donald, tricks are for kids.
But it wasn’t a joke.
Here we are in March of 2016, and he’s the leading republican candidate.
America, let’s have a come to Jesus moment.
I just have a hard time understanding why anyone with a fully functioning frontal lobe would be even the least bit interested in voting for someone like Mr. Trump.
Let’s forget about his proposed plan of building a wall on the Mexico-America border, the Miss Universe debacle, his countless blunders at the republican candidate debates, and even his hideous haircut for a minute.
What is so appealing about him? All I keep hearing him say is “let’s make America great again.”
Great for whom? Him and his rich, white, 1 percent friends?
Let’s have a quick English lesson.
Take a gander at this “Let’s make America great again” phrase. The word “again” is defined as “to [return to] a previous position or place.”
If history serves me correctly, Native Americans previously had their land taken from them by European settlers; African Americans were previously enslaved, discriminated against, and treated as less than humans for most of America's existence; and Japanese Americans were previously forced into internment camps during WWII.
And that’s not even the half of it.
So, all things considered, would I be wrong to assume that Donald Trump wants a bigoted and prejudiced government to openly rule and reign in these great United States, once again?
I think not.
Which brings us to the word of the year: racism.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, racism is still alive and well in 2016. As much as some people insist that minorities “get over it,” it’s still here.
And if you've been sold the lie that not talking about racism would make it go away, you need to get your money back.
Because that’s like saying ignoring a flesh eating disease would just make it will just go away.
Speaking of diseases, back to Donald Trump.
I actually have to thank him.
I would have never known about all of my wonderful Facebook friends that actually think it’s okay to support this supercilious, money-hungry bigot if he never decided to run.
Knowing that people that I went to high school with—people I considered my real friends—would vote for someone with such little character and intelligence is both disheartening and deeply concerning.
I don’t need friends that support a candidate that doesn’t believe in my basic rights, or those of my fellow minorities.
And the sad part about all of this is that I’ve waited 19 years to be able to vote, and in order to stop Donald Trump, I’ll have to (most likely) vote for Hillary Clinton, who I’m not 100 percent sold on either.
So, what does this say about America? Here’s the answer, in a nutshell:
And to think that just a year ago, I wasn’t paying much attention to any of the nation’s racial, economic, foreign or domestic issues. Thank you, Donald Trump, for waking me up to the harsh reality that some people still base my human value off the pigmentation of my skin.
Godbless save America, my home sweet home.