President Trump’s racist claims about Haitians is part of his political strategy
As a Haitian-American, I condemn President Trump’s reprehensible comments on Fox news, October 7th. Mr. Trump falsely claimed that hundreds of thousands of Haitians immigrants were entering the United States and that many were bringing HIV/AIDS.
Both claims are pure lies!
We ignore President Trump at our own risks
Whilst we have all come to expect lies from the former president, these dangerous comments stoke fear and inflame racist sentiment and cannot go unanswered as his tropes are part of a more insidious plan. For many, the president is ranting and is to be ignored. For others (Haitians) President Trump is right because it is the fault of Haitians for not being able to provide a safe country for themselves. What is being missed in the first argument is that the more cerebral/intellectual approach to politics is losing ground. America is being torn apart and race and the other continues to be centerpiece for the battle for its soul. President Trump has found a way to tap into and play on Americans worst instinct.
Telling our story
President Trump's vile attack on Haitians serves two purposes. It vilifies black and brown people – we may remember his comment about Mexicans being rapists. It also serves to strengthen the narrative of the victim ideology of white supremacy. When the president says that the US is being overrun by these Haitians and tells his audience that “It's like a death wish for our country," it is not a slip of the tongue. It is a call to arms and we must push back every time and everywhere.
Check out my post on the Thinker's Notepad and let me know what you think.