Mr. Trump
Today, tonight actually, I had planned on editing a book I have been working on but the news of today preempted that. You see, today was a bad news day for race relations in our great country. One thing was worse than the other in terms of lives lost today, but the other runs the risk of thousands and thousands of lives being lost in our future (in our world's past it ranks in the millions).
The first event was that of a young black man being killed by police in a disturbing manner. Alton Sterling was shot while pinned on the ground by 2 white police officers. The video of the event shows what can only be called very questionable behavior on the actions of the officers involved. It is said that Alton Sterling was armed but from the video and the statements of witnesses there was no way for him to reach the gun. The whole thing ended tragically and further damaged already strained relationship between the black community and police.
The second part of this letter is related to the first in regard to race relations. It has to do with how your treatment of others and your careless treatment of racial and ethnic issues is feeding racial tensions across the board. You have made derogatory remarks about people of Mexican descent, Muslims, and belittled someone for their Native American heritage. Your businesses have discriminated against black people by refusing to rent to them, you have removed black people from working in your casinos if certain people were present. These issues alone are troubling but there is more that is outright horrifying.
You find yourself as the Republican Party's presidential candidate and for anyone that would be considered an accomplishment to be lauded, but I nor many others cannot find it in our hearts to do so. We cannot get behind your slogan "Make America Great Again" because what you represent is totally opposite of what makes America great. You sir, are a predator who prays on fears and hate. Your supporters like what you say because you appeal to their ignorance. Yes, ignorance for it is that more than anything that is the cause of the fear you use to your advantage. It is ignorance that lets racism thrive. It is ignorance that says someone cannot do a particular job because of their color, their religion, or sex. It is ignorance that says all Muslims are terrorists, it is ignorance that says all Mexicans are thieves, rapists, or murders. It is ignorance that makes a person think it is ok to make fun of a person's heritage or disabilities. It is ignorance to use a symbol of religion, any religion, to strike out at another. All these add up to make one big ball of fear that you feed on and fuel.
Yet there is something worse than ignorance and that is no better but choosing to not just ignore it but to use it, to spread it. In the bible it talks how faith that is built with a solid foundation will not falter. I will tell you what does falter, a foundation built on hate. It festers, it eats away all that it touches unless it is removed. How do you remove hate? The best way is to remove ignorance, to educate. With faith and knowledge fear is powerless.
The thing here is that at no time have you really tried to remove fear, you fed it, you fed ignorance.
It is said that there are some good people who support you because you fed their fear. You have done it across the political spectrum from economics to relations of all types. If you cannot get at a person one way you try another. Never have you shown any plan of progress. You go for fear and say you are the only one to stop it. The sad thing is that the people you have conned do not recognize you are the real boogeyman. But as I said before fear is ignorance and your main supporters are filled with both. Is there any redemption for you? I would say no, for if there were you would have distanced yourself from the groups based on hate that support you. An common, you cannot say that star was not a Star of David but a sheriff's star. The darn pic was found on a hate group site.
To the supporters of Donald J. Trump
To ignore or turn a blind eye to the racist actions and talk of your candidate because you feel he may benefit you in someway does not absolve you from the repercussions of what will happen it Trump is elected president. To say, "I didn't know" or "what could I do" is not a defense; it was not a defense for the people of Germany after WWII and will never be. There is no excuse for putting a person,who has time and time again shown he has racist leanings, in office. "Well, I would rather vote Trump than that murderer Hillary " is not an excuse. If you think Hillary was responsible for Bengazi, then you are really ignorant of how government agencies work. CIA, State Department, and the Military involved Clinton was in charge of one and between her and the people on the ground there are how many others in that chain of command? The only thing she really did wrong was not rolling some underlings heads for dropping the ball. What about the CIA? The Department of Defense? What, none of them were democrats running for office?
Back on the issue Trump supporters. Many of you also go after Obama and I will tell you why. You are racist or closet racists. Please don't use the "But I have black friends " defense. You have black aquiantences or coworkers. In truth you would resent them if they were your supervisor or you will use the "n" word if they are not around. I know how it goes I was raised in the south. Closeted racism maybe worst of all. It is easier to face ignorance and hate head on but harder when it is coming at your back.
In closing I want to say to those who fight racism and discrimination, call it out wherever and whenever you see it. Bring the hate into the light don't let it grow like a fungus that will eat away at our society. I recently read a letter by Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzz on Twitter) that inspired me to write this open letter to Trump and his supporters. She bravely pointed out to her boss how the use of star in Trump's tweet calling Clinton a crook was wrong. Why is she brave? Her boss is Trump's son-in-law. We can all be brave and call out this hate before it destroys us.
Sincerely,
Charles Parmele
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