Tim Wise
Tim Wise
Aug 31, 2018 · 2 min read

Hmm, OK, so if polls aren’t perfect (and of course they are not), then how can we ever say anything about what the average x, y or z person thinks? I mean, this notion that polls are bullshit is Trump’s argument, by which he insists he is still majority popular…surely you believe the polls that say THAT is not true, right? Funny you’ll accept those polls but not the ones that cast doubt on your insistence that most white men are opposed to Trump…

The thing is, the only way we can discern what people think, on average, about candidates or political issues is by polling or voting behavior. The first, as flawed as it is, does have scientifically valid methodology. Your argument that “no one ever came to your door and asked you” is like the argument the Trump fans make when they dismiss his low approval ratings: its silly and juvenile. That would be like saying “well, I dont watch that TV show, so I don’t understand how they determine the ratings!” Um, there are methods for that, and you dismissing them without explaining why they are flawed is just silly.

In fact what you are saying — anecdotal evidence about you and your buddies — is what every right winger in the world does when they say racism isn’t a problem. They point to anecdotes (their black friend, the music they listen to, or whatever) and ignore the social science evidence on everything from individual level racial biases to systemic inequities.

Finally, although I readily admit I can’t know what the non-voting white men actually think, it is certainly fair to say that you can’t either. Thus for you to say with certitude, as you did, that “the average white male doesn’t support Trump” is entirely unsustainable. My claim may not be right (if the polls are all way off and the 65 percent support for Trump at the voting booth from white men is entirely unrepresentative), but for yours to be correct, you need at least some evidence other than you and your buddies. Occam’s Razor and the law of parsimony say the most logical answer here is that the polls are correct and the vote is indicative of something real. You can dismiss it if you like, all so as to protect the image of white men (which you apparently think is more important than actually challenging those Trump supporters or protecting the lives of the people of color being assaulted daily by Trumpism), but it seems like a strange choice to me.

Anyway, take care

    Tim Wise

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    Tim Wise

    I’m an antiracism educator/author. I Facebook & tweet @timjacobwise, podcast at Speak Out With Tim Wise & post bonus content at patreon.com/speakoutwithtimwise