Donald Trump's campaign for the presidency has been an unending source of both hilarity and horror for anybody out there with a brain large enough to see him for the caricature of bigotry and buffoonery that he is. With each passing day since he declared his intent to run for the highest office in the land, I have been both amused and terrified by his "promises" and the plans he has for when he becomes the leader of the free world. I think most everyone viewed his campaign as a joke in the beginning, but then he started gaining support. It isn't a joke anymore. Somehow, the Donald's xenophobic vitriol has gained traction with a large subset of Republicans, and the fact that he's been doing so well in the polls, even after this long, is truly terrifying. It began with a wall between Mexico and the US, to 'strengthen the border and better control illegal immigration.' After that, it was the Orwellian and, frankly, Nazi-esque registry he proposed for Muslim Americans, again, in the name of 'safety and national security.' The latest was the notion of another wall, this one between the US and Canada to, I don't know, keep out the good beer? Whatever it is, it's getting scarier by the day, and I'll tell you why!
For starters, variety being the spice of life, I don't want America to be "Great Again" if that means white-washing the nation. Not only is this a horrible notion, but it's also tragic. Cultural appropriation exists for a reason, and that reason is that 'white' culture (despite being an ineffective blanket term), while worth remembering, cherishing and learning from, is, in my humble opinion, boring as hell. I'm Irish. I'm proud of that. The history of my people is long, rich, beautiful and, from time to time, tragic. I don't want to forget my heritage. Simultaneously, though, if I had to river dance and eat potatoes exclusively for the rest of my life, I think I would likely drink myself to death on purpose (because let's face it, I'm Irish and that's going to happen anyway)! One of my best friends is Iraqi. He has taught me a great deal about hospitality, family, love and the appreciation of life. I learned new ways to calm my mind and think through my problems from another friend, this one Sri Lankan. Hell, the only reason I abandoned the white-man lip-bite and the 'little kicks' on the dance floor is because a Colombian taught me to salsa and bachata. My life has been greatly enriched because I GET to be friends with people from different backgrounds, and I don't want to lose those friends for anything.
The second reason Trump scares me is because his followers are pretty much exclusively Caucasian. I can't say that to any degree of certainty without polls and statistics, but let's face it, it's the truth. As such, we're not coming out looking all that hot in this whole thing. Sure, we speak out and talk about how we disagree with his sentiments, but he has still got an enormous amount of traction in the polls and enormous support at rallies. Actions speak louder than words, and right now, we might be talking, but it seems like nobody is really ACTING against this.
At least that's how I've felt lately. And then you have this beautiful bastard!
