Donald Trump is entering the GOP convention with more than enough votes to secure the nomination, and swaths of supporters who have shown up to the voting booth again. And again.
While Trump may be the one on the podium, his supporters from behind the curtain fuel his run for the White House.
The “silent majority,” as they eloquently call themselves, have used their racism, bigotry and ignorance to push the mogul to the front of the race. Supporters have rationalized Trump’s insults as straightforward speech that most candidates lack. He hasn’t been a politician; he can’t hide the “truth” of his words.
This is one of the craziest notions in the world. Long before he decided to run for executive power, Trump played chief executive officer of his own business — one that he ran into the ground. With the United States, he’ll do the same.
Despite all the fearmongering, racism and bigotry that Trump has sold to the public, his voters have bought into the idea of Trump as president and his incendiary comments as representative of their thoughts.
The criminalization of Mexicans. The claim that a judge’s heritage led to the ruling against him and his pseudo-university. The attacks on women, the belittling of people with disabilities, the revoking of press passes on a whim and the call for a ban on Muslims to prevent attackers who are predominantly not of that religion.
No action from Trump goes undefended. This is the man whom conservatives have chosen as their party representative.
Being a conservative doesn’t make you bigoted, misogynistic or xenophobic, but voting for Trump brings you pretty close.
The sad part is that Trump supporters didn’t even check the facts. Instead, they have embraced the crazy claims and used them as an excuse to expunge their own racism and bigotry.
Citing Trump as the source of the nation’s currently divided state and chaotic political landscape isn’t enough. The blame, too, lies on the people who claim he is telling it like it is — those who say he has the people’s interest at heart and perpetuate his divisive language about minorities.
When he has secured the path to the White House, Trump will convince the disenfranchised voters that he supports them. But once he sits in the Oval Office, the only agenda important to Donald J. Trump will be Donald J. Trump.
If you think he won’t turn his back on you, you haven’t seen how Trump the businessman has worked throughout his life and into this election.
Wake up, supporters.
Opinion editor Frank Campos is a multimedia senior and can be reached at [email protected]
Youre actually bigoted to assume i am racist and bigoted.