Trump’s Racism Affects a Group We Aren’t Talking About — Children
Trump is Tweeting to America’s youth
By Ella Burch
The Progressive Teen Editor-in-Chief
WHEN IT COMES TO AMERICAN TRADITIONS, RACISM IS ONE OF OUR OLDEST AND MOST SHAMEFUL. From early colonialism to slavery to internment camps, the long American history of white supremacy is woven into the fabric of our national identity. Upon the election of 44th President Barack Obama, public conversation began to focus on a new “colorblind” American society. This prophecy, however, was fallacious and reliant on the optimism surrounding a fresh precedent-setting face in the Oval Office. In reality, colorblindness has not been achieved and should not be the goal of an equitable, progressive society. The air of racial progress encompassing Obama’s election bred a surging racist reaction in far-right rhetoric and politics.
Leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election, these racial tensions came to a head in the skyrocketing success of brazenly racist businessman Donald Trump. From his candidacy announcement to his late-night Twitter tirades, the immortalized evidence of Trump’s racism has been a definitional characteristic of his candidacy and presidency. Throughout his nearly three years in office and as President-elect, Trump has been marred by public criticism regarding countless scandals and inappropriate comments. Most recently, Donald Trump has received backlash for his bigoted tweets targeting “the squad”, a group of young, racially diverse female members of Congress including Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Talib, and Ayanna Pressley. This racist display coupled with Trump’s other numerous indiscretions raises a question: how will the current President’s inflammatory rhetoric affect children and youth in modern America?
Addressing this concern requires a multifaceted approach, as American youth has commanded a spotlight for advocacy in recent years. However, Trump’s rhetoric has normalized radical, bigoted, and racist ideals formerly held under a polite façade of social acceptability. This has emboldened a formerly “fringe” group of racist Americans, and Trump’s urging of these four Congresswomen to “go back” to “the crime-infested places from which they came” echoes earmark racist rhetoric of the far right. The normalization of such damaging and discriminatory ideas by the international representative of American power will inevitably affect impressionable youth. The disillusionment associated with childhood in Trump’s America has damaged children’s outlook and led to an increase in hate speech and brazen bigotry in schools.
This rhetoric has also shaped the conduct and ideology of young Republican organizations on the high school and college level. In a recent speech to Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a large organization for college Republicans with more than 1000 chapters across the country, Trump made racist comments about the members of “the squad” yet again. This exemplifies how influential Trump’s rhetoric has been on American youth as his interaction with a young group included a blatant demonstration of hatred for members of his very own Congress. This conduct follows the pattern in TPUSA of racist ideas and white supremacy. With hate crimes and racist violence on the rise, it must be considered that the most powerful voice in American government contributes directly to these trends.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has documented a “Trump Effect” plaguing public schools, in which teachers are noting a rise in harassment and bullying toward students of color. This is especially damaging for children whose first memories of President of the United States rest with Donald Trump’s image. With Trump’s rhetoric and policies defining these children’s first associations with the office of President, normalization of racism is a concerning risk. This societal shift is perhaps even more pervasive for younger pre-school aged children, though these effects may be less visible. Young toddlers and children develop their understanding of the world through observation of human characteristics and behaviors to which they are exposed. This increases children’s susceptibility to internalization of racial attitudes and prejudices present in their observable realities.
Societal patterns reflect to children their racial and societal position, as young children take note of the occupations and status of people who do and do not look like themselves. Children also internalize the beliefs and ideologies of adults and friends, whether directly delineated or implied. Children of color tend to notice prejudice against them at a young age, internalizing stereotypes and behavioral patterns of those around them. This struggle with identity and inequality can increase risk of depression, anxiety, and other psychological distresses. With the United States becoming increasingly diverse, Trump’s racist rhetoric is providing a platform for fringe conservative groups and white supremacists across the country. This could have a detrimental effect on children’s mental health and development, given the scientific link between racism and stress on its targets.
Trump’s perpetuation of damaging slogans and stereotypes will pervade the perception of normalcy for both white children and children of color. This has already shown its effects in schools and adolescent political groups, as this divisive attitude has embedded itself in the conduct of young conservative organizations. This rhetoric results directly in policy changes, as federal funding has been stripped from childcare and education. With millions of children in marginalized communities at risk of losing healthcare, civil rights protections, and housing security, the fate of America’s children is at stake.
The President of the United States is customarily held at a higher standard than the average citizen, acting as a leader and role model for American youth. However, President Trump’s damaging biases may destroy the futures of so many young children, hindering the trajectory of a generation. Between racial socialization of children and policies aimed at holding them back, children are more aware than ever of the link between politics and their perceptions of race in America. Unless we improve the structures in American politics and policy to support our increasingly diverse young population, we may undermine the future of our nation and our nation’s greatest strength.
