I could go on and on.. But what I'm about to explain only covers the tip of the iceberg..
President Trump's tweets are always...something else. I usually don't follow them, and maybe I should more often. The minute I saw these recent tweets, I was filled with disgust. I am no political expert. I had been angered by his anti-immigrant rhetoric before, but I was shocked when I saw that this country had reached the point where THE PRESIDENT told four freshmen congresswomen of color, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, that they should "go back" to where they came from.
If you haven't seen it already, here is what he said:
"So interesting to see "Progressive" Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on eart, how our government is to be run. Why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done. These places need your help so badly, you can't leave fast enough. I'm sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!"
The phrase "go back to the country you can from" is a well-worn insult, something I hear all too often in attacks towards people of color. RACIST attacks. Why do people say these things? Because they feel people of color do not belong in this country. It's quite dissapointing that the President has uttered these same words. If you don't think what he said is racist, please consider the following...
The four congresswomen he attacked were AOC, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar. All women of color. BUT..
Three out of the four congresswomen he attacked were born in the United States. They are natural born citizens. AOC was born in the Bronx, New York. Ayanna Pressley was born in Chicago, Illinois. Rashida Tlaib was born in Detroit, Michigan. They are Americans, born and raised. They were ELECTED to their positions. It is THEIR JOB to weigh in on how the United States government is run. Because they are women of color, not white, President Trump immediately assumed they came from another country, which in his mind, meant they were less-deserving to be American.
Even if they hadn't been born in the United States like Ilhan Omar, they should and DO have the same rights as any other American does. President Trump is a strong advocate against illegal immigration. He wants those who desire to come to the Unites States to come the legal way. That is what IIhan Omar did. She sought asylum and became a citizen. So, she has the right to do her job, and weigh in on the affairs of the government like everyone else does.
What is even more questionable yet despicable about the President's words is the group of people he targeted, despite others with many of the same characteristics.
For example, US Representative Don Beyer and Brendan Boyle. Don Beyer was born in Italy. Brendan Boyle is from an immigrant family. Both are quite critical of the President. But President Trump did not tell them to "go back" from where they originally came from. Why? Because they are both white men. In President Trump's mind, they don't look foreign. In fact, they share many traits with him, appearance-wise so they should most definitely be American. The thought that they are foreign probably never crossed his mind.
Maybe, he did not attack those two men because Italy and Ireland are not the "total catastrophe" that he refers to in his tweet. But this speaks to the horrible idea that many racists have in their minds, that is people of color should "love it or leave it." It is the idea that they should be "grateful" that they are in America. This is a racist view for many reasons. One being that people of color need to qualify themselves to be American, implying that they are less competent than those from European countries. This has animated xenophobia since the beginning of time.
What he and all of us need to make sure we understand is that whether born here or elsewhere, no matter the skin color, they are all proud Americans. We need to convey that understanding to everyone we meet. President Trump, by saying what he did in those tweets, has put a terrible thought in many minds.
His words not only affect the four women he attacked, but they affect all people of color.
I am a Vietnamese girl. I could go up to the President right now, talking about ways in which I think this country could improve, ways that might not align with his views. Because I am not white, without knowing anything else about me, he would tell me to go back to the country I came from. "If you're not happy here, you can leave," as he tweeted. I would tell him that would be here, in America, where I am a natural born citizen, who has NEVER left the States. I love my culture and where my family is from. I am proud of it. But America is my home, believe it or not. I have the right to express how I feel this country should be run, as those four congresswomen do, even if it is contrary to the President's views. Those are my rights as an American.
Because they are not white, in his eyes, they are less American. Thus, since I am not white, in his eyes, I am less American. Now, many of Trump's supporters will express the same as he did. That will cause divide of tremendous destruction in our country. President Trump is the leader of our country. He is supposed to represent all of us, yet this is what the President has done.
So yes, these tweets are racist. I am outraged by them. I hope you are too.
