Piercing The Veil

It has been striking, in the hours after Trump's "shithole" comment how many people called the comment "shocking."  Really?  No one over the age of 8 in 2018 should be shocked by profanity from an adult.  We aren't shocked by profanity, we are usually shocked by nakedly racist statements.

But should we be surprised that Trump would say this?  Should we be surprised that he thinks this?

He's also probably not wrong that this will play well with his "base."  They think Haiti is a shithole and that probably applies to all of those other dusky-hued continents and countries.  I'll let Anderson Cooper handle the rebuttal to that.

Today, a student or students anonymously wrote a note saying that students with "right of center" views were often marginalized.  What was left unsaid in the letter is what constitutes "right of center" in the Age of Trump.  Advocating smaller government or more devolution to the states or deregulation is not being marginalized or ostracized in our school.

The timing of that letter was as unfortunate as the Brooks' column.  If "right of center" means "Republican" and "Republican" increasingly means "Trump," I think we have enough evidence to equate Trump with racist, sexist, bigoted positions.  Here is a likely incomplete run-down of Trump's various racist statements.

There is nothing "wrong" about "right of center" political positions.  I disagree with some of them, because I tend to believe - as Lincoln did - that the proper role of government is to do for the people what the people cannot do for themselves.  I disagree very strongly with the policies that Paul Ryan proposes.  But if a student advanced those positions, I might correct for facts, but I would never (I hope) silence that student.

But if a student wants to defend Trump - or even by extension a Republican establishment that is failing in their duty to hold him accountable - then that is a different issue.  That is a moral position.  It is a moral position that the GOP is currently failing, and it has nothing to do with marginal tax rates, regulation or devolved powers.

Trump exposed that the "right of center" needs desperately the "far right" to win elections.  That "far right" is authoritarian, racist, sexist and xenophobic.  And the "deplorable" base that applauds Trump calling a continent a "shithole" are those people.

These times call for moral stands.  Do you stand for democracy?  Do you stand for decency?  Inclusion?  The ideals that founded this country?

Or do you stand with Trump?

History will remember (if journalism might not).