Why I Don’t Buy Trumps Bleak Vision of America
Donald Trump is the nominee of the Republican party.
I never thought I’d write that sentence, but it’s now a fact. Somehow, Trump was able to convince enough uneducated white voters to go against their self-interest by using a tired old tactic that still works in 2016.
Fear-mongering. Pandering to prejudice. Playing to the secret fears of many white Christian Americans that the melting pot for which they were the main ingredients would now include the spice of other nationalities and religions.
It’s working at the moment.
But I don’t think it will work in November. I believe there are still enough citizens in America who understand what Trump is selling and will reject it.
Last December, after watching several GOP debates, I was stunned at the portrayal of a version of America the candidates, especially Trump, were selling. It wasn’t the America I see. So I wrote a story for Medium called “In Fear of a Presidential Debate Planet.” I know, the title was horrible. But I stand by my thoughts.
Below are the prime examples that I used to show an America that isn’t as hopeless and bleak as Donald Trump loves to espouse for personal and political gain.
“Here’s the America I see.
First-time parents holding their new-born babies. Spouses excitedly telling the family they just landed a job. Teenagers cramming for a test who will someday cure a disease. People working in a hospice center giving loving care to those with little time left.
People who don’t feel like getting up to go to work, but are doing it anyway. Elderly people curled up on a couch watching a TV show together in contentment. A five-year-old in awe seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time . A sixteen-year-old proudly showing their driver’s license to apprehensive parents.
A fifty-nine-year old graduating from college. A widower picking up the pieces and making a new life for his children. Small businesses started by women who won’t take no for an answer. Dogs nestled into their person’s chest while both nap on the couch on a Sunday afternoon.
That’s the America I see.
We need to ignore the politicians self-serving lies about how downtrodden America has become. We need not to give in to paranoia, hate, and intolerance.
Watching the ugliness on the debate stage in Las Vegas wasn’t the America that I know. It was a staged event meant to play to the lowest denominator.
If you’re a Republican, demand better than what was on that stage.
If you’re a Democrat, don’t think your debates or your politicians are that much better.
Playing to fear and prejudice is easy. That’s why politicians do it. Don’t fall for their words and don’t let their ugliness into your life.
There are serious problems in need of addressing. There is a threat that needs to be dealt with on a global community scale.
That’s nothing new. We’ve dealt with problems and threats in the past without letting go of our senses, our civil liberties, or our humanity.
Just say no….. to hateful politics paid for by puppet-masters intent on dividing and conquering.”
We are better than what Donald Trump thinks of us. Our lives aren’t perfect, of course. Our society has many shortcomings which need to be addressed. This essay is not trying to sugarcoat the very real problems in America. It’s going to take coming together, not tearing apart, to make that happen.
But I believe we can do it for one simple reason.
We aren’t what Donald Trump and the GOP portray America to be.
I’d love to see comments here and if you’d like to send an email I can be reached at Jamesbarraford@gmail.com
