Is Trump Racist?

[Content Warning: Video contains discussions of racist violence interspersed with tasteless humor.]

Contrapoints (VO): You know a lot of people are saying that Donald Trump is racist, a lot of people are thinking that. It's something I'm looking at. I'm looking at a lot of things and some other people are saying that it's just the crooked liberal media trying to discredit him. But is it? Let's find out. But first a word from a genuine and very real Trump supporter:

Trumpy: [Slurred southern accent] Hello there boys and girls. My name's Trumpy the Transvestite, and I'm here to sing ya a song about a little thing called love. [Strums lightly] This one goes out to Charlene [Strums quickly].

[REDACTED]

Contrapoints (VO): So if you google "Donald Trump racism" you get a bunch of articles from liberal media sites like Slate and Huffington Post. These articles all mention the same evidence of Trump's racism. There's a series of allegation of racial discrimination in his casinos and hotels, his reluctance to distance himself from white supremacists, his conspiracy theorizing about Obama's nationality, his tendency to phrase things like a racist grandpa, his encouragement of violence toward minority protesters, and of course, his persistent stereotyping of Jews and blacks and Mexicans and Asians and Indians, all of this sketches a picture of a man who is happy to exploit racism for political gain. But if I'm going to convince people that Trump personally holds racist beliefs, I'm gonna need to present the kind of rigorous evidence and logic demanded by internet rationalist skeptics with furry avatars or beards. Why do these guys all have beards? I guess they're trying to communicate a message. Like, thanks to the testosterone lozenge an my rectum, my thicket of pubes is at least as robust as my face merkin.

[If you're a normal person with a beard I'm not talking about you, yours looks great]

Contrapoints: My face is nothing like that. It's smooth and pure. Like a boy's face. [Distorted] Like a doll's face. Actually let's not psychoanalyze this too much. I don't think any of us benefit from the internet poking around too much in our psyches. In fact, don't-don't look at me [tried to cover up the camera with her hand].

Contrapoints (VO): Now where was I? Right, trying to prove that this corn silk tufted cheese puff of a man is racist. Unfortunately, it's pretty hard to prove what someone's private feelings and beliefs are. Honestly, I have no idea what's going on in Trump's head. For all I know it's just kind of a frothy bubbling sound [bubbling sound], or like a monkey howling (*Okay because white) [Chimpanzee screeching] or crazy circus music. I don't know. I don't know what Trump does at night before he goes to sleep. [Contrapoints in a MAGA hat and reading] Maybe he reads Dostoevsky and wonders what the hell he's doing with his life. More likely he just looks at pictures of his ex-wife (*secret leak very real) [mimes jerking off]. But this is all just speculation. Fortunately what really matters is not what he personally believes, but what he does and says. But in order to understand that, we have to consider it in the context of American politics and race relations. Now it's good to keep in mind that a hundred years ago America was so racist that of more than 200 anti-lynching bills introduced by Congress, not a single one ever passed the Senate. I bring this up not to suggest that things haven't changed at all, but as a reminder that terribly racist things were once justified using the same kinds of arguments that still appear in today's political discourse. Lynching apologists didn't usually say "I hate the blacks. Let's kill 'em at random to keep 'em terrorized and in their place". They argued that lynching was a necessary measure to keep black criminality in check and especially to protect white women from black sexual aggression [Clip of Birth of a Nation]. Though the latter idea is now pretty disreputable, politicians and pundits still invoke fear of a savage black or brown menace in order to persuade white people to support racist violence. The strategy works because a lot of white Americans have a deep visceral fear of black people and black crime. This is why it's so easy to rationalize to a white audience racist murders, police violence against blacks. All you have to do is show a picture of a scary looking black dude and a lot of white people get triggered as shit.

[A man and a woman are sitting in a car as a black man approaches the drivers window]

Man: Oh, my God!

Woman: Oh Jesus!

Man: Wow, you really scared us! Not because you're black [woman cuts in repeating no] we're not racist!

Contrapoints (VO): That's why in the aftermath of the murders of [Picture of...] Trayvon and [Picture of...] Micheal Brown there was so much debate over the pictures of the victims displayed by the media. If you show a picture of a black man looking like a thug a lot of white people immediately conclude that he deserved to die. Now I'm not saying that it's totally irrational to be afraid of the ghetto. I'm pretty sure everyone is afraid of the ghetto, even black people. I was once trying to sublet my Chicago apartment and I was turned down by a black woman (*actual photo) on the grounds that there were, quote "Too many black men (*actual photo)standing around in this neighborhood." So it's not that it's wrong to be afraid of the ghetto, it's just that if you allow your fear to get out of control or allow it to get too general, it can lead you to do and believe insane and irrational things. It's just like any other fear, even a fear as innocent as arachnophobia can turn a person with no self control into a raving maniac.

Contrapoints: [Spider above door frame] AH FUCK! AH SHIT [Shakily pours and consumes a glass of liquor] KILL IT KILL IT [Sprays the spider with bug spray] KILL IT!

Contrapoints (VO): Exploiting the race-based fears of white people to win votes is a long standing American political tactic known as the Southern Strategy. When overt racist declarations became more disreputable in the 1960s, politicians found more subtle ways of employing the tactic. In an anonymous 1981 interview, Republican strategist Lee Atwater described the strategy in a roundabout way.

"You start out in 1954 by saying, “N*gger, n*gger, n*gger.” By 1968 you can’t say “n*gger”—that hurts you, backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states’ rights, and all that stuff, and you’re getting so abstract. Now, you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites. And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I'm not saying that. But I'm saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me-because obviously sitting around and saying, “We want to cut this,” is much more abstract than even the busing thing, uh, and a hell of a lot more abstract than “N*gger, n*gger.”

Contrapoints (VO): This kind of encrypted racism is sometimes called dog-whistle politics, since it's abstract enough not to appear overtly racist, but has enough racist overtones to resonate with certain white voters. A classic example is the law and order rhetoric of Goldwater, Nixon, and Reagan. Aimed at white fears of ghetto riots and crime. Reagan also conjured up images of Chicago Welfare Queens and Cadillacs and strapping young bucks buying steaks with food stamps. The implication was that social programs enriched lazy blacks at the expense of the hard working whites, and of course Sarah Palin's term "real America", which refers to white, rural America, here's the implication that non-whites are not real Americans. The tactic is typically associated with Republicans, but don't think that Democrats are immune. Hillary Clinton once described black-I mean urban- youth gangs as super predators. Well, as Christopher Hitchens often argued, her shitty husband reveled in the execution of a brain-damaged black man in order to resuscitate his dwindling 1992 campaign and portray himself as tough on blacks-I mean crime. What I'm suggesting is that there's an uninterrupted history of ugly racism in American politics that continues to the present day. So, where does Trump fit into all this? Well, Trump's conspiracy theorizing about Obama's nationality and the use of phrases like "the Blacks" looks like classic dog whistling to me. Even his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" is designed to resonate only with whites, who are the only demographic that can believe things aren't better now than they were several decades ago. These little things communicate to racist white people that Trump is one of them while remaining subtle enough that a charge of racism can be plausibly denied, but more worrying are Trump's more overt signals. When he called undocumented Mexican immigrants "rapists," he's basically one step away from repeating the age old technique of asking white people:

[Over a clip of Birth of a Nation]

"How would you feel if your lily white daughter were raped by a gang of savage negros? Eh?!"

Contrapoints (VO): I mean, this isn't even dog-whistle politics anymore. He straight up called them rapists! Now you might be thinking [Text on screen reads: ALL DETRACTORS HAVE WHINY VOICES] "But Mexican is a nationality, not a race!" To which I respond, that's a totally pedantic objection and the kinds of fears that Trump's rhetoric appeals to don't make these fine distinctions. In a lot of ways, Trump's campaign is more racist than any major presidential candidates in recent history. When the KKK endorsed Ronald Reagan, Reagan wrote in response:

"'Those of us in public life can only resent the use of our names by those who seek political recognition for the repugnant doctrines of hate they espouse.' the president wrote. 'The politics of racial hatred and religious bigotry practiced by the Klan and others have no place in this country, and are destructive of the values for which America has always stood.'"

Contrapoints (VO): Compare this with Trump's response to former [Image of...] Grand Wizard David Duke's endorsement.

[Clip of TV interview with Trump]

Trump: Well, just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke, okay? I don't know about anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or [Dog whistle appears and sounds onscreen] supremacists, so I don't know.

Interviewer: Even if you don't know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you, would you just say unequivocally you condemn them and don't want their support.

Trump: Well, I have to look at the group. I mean, I don't know what group you're talking about, you wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about, I have to look!

 [Interviewer cuts in by saying "The Klu Klux Klan?] ''

Trump: - You may have some boys in there that are totally fine, and it would be very unfair. [Dog whistle appears and sounds onscreen] So give me a list of the groups and I'll let you know.

Interviewer: Okay. I mean, I'm just talking about David Duke and the Klu Klux Klan here. But...

Trump: I don't know that honestly, I don't know David Duke.I don't believe I've ever met him, I'm pretty sure I didn't meet him, I just don't know anything about him.

Contrapoints (VO): Pretty goddamn weak. Now Trump did disavow the KKK the following day, but only under a a lot of pressure. By itself, his apparent reluctance could be interpreted as a fluke, but it happens again and again. When confronted with the news that two of his supporters had assaulted a homeless Hispanic man, Trump's response was:

[At a speech]

Trump: The people that are following me are very passionate. They love this country, they want this country to be great again, and they are very passionate, I will say that.

Contrapoints (VO): Yeah, so passionate that they assault minorities and homeless people. You know who else had passionate supporters [Image of German storefront with "Jude" painted on the front]?

["GOODWIN'S LAW, 10 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR" flashes on screen]

[Hey, I made it to 9 minutes, give me a break.]

Contrapoints (VO): And then there's this-

Woman at Trump rally: -get rid of all these heebeejabis ["Heebeejabis"=Muslim Hijabs] they wear at the TSA, I've seen them myself!

Trump: I understand-

Woman at Trump rally: We need the veterans back in there to take it, they fought for this country and defended it. They'll still do it. Thank you

[Dog whistle plays over Trump saying "We'll look into that. And we are looking at that. We're looking at a lot of things."]

Contrapoints (VO): And something I'm looking at, I'm looking at a lot of things. Compare Trump's basically affirmative response to a racist supporter to John McCain's handling of a similar situation.

Woman at McCain rally: I gotta ask you a question. I do not believe I can trust Obama, I have read about him and he's not-he's not um... He's an Arab. He is not- [John McCain shakes head while saying no]

John McCain: No, no, no ma'am. No, ma'am. He's a-he's a-he's a decent family man citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on-on fundamental issues, and that's what this campaign is all about, he's not, thank you.

Contrapoints (VO): McCain shut that shit down, while Trump makes sure there's room for it to thrive. He's always winking and nudging at white-nationalists. It's no wonder he's a Storm Front candidate of choice, ya know, except among those who believe that even trump is a puppet of the Zionist agenda. My main point is that there's a vast reservoir of white racism in America for politicians to draw on for political gain. And it's such an effective strategy, that it's hard for them to avoid the temptation. But I think the situation is getting even worse. After Obama's election, there was a huge surge of involvement in hate groups and right-wing militias. But this extreme fringe stuff is now starting to seep into mainstream politics, especially into Trump's campaign. Trump is perhaps at his white identity politics worst when he gets nostalgic for the good old days of violence against protesters, and even encourages violence at his own events.

[Dramatic music soars as a montage of Trump rallies plays in black and white]

Trump: You see someone ready to throw a tomato? [I'm not implying anything I just love Wagner, that's all!] Knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously, okay, just know the hell-I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks. [Croud roars in aprovement] That's true. I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell you. In the good old days, they'd rip him out of that seat so fast, but today, everybody's politically correct. Our country is going to hell for being politically correct. Get him out of here! Please get him out, yeah. Are you from Mexico? Are you from Mexico?

[Trump begins chanting "Build the wall"]

["GODWIN'S LAW, WAGNER FANDOM IS NO EXCUSE"]

Contrapoints (VO): Now to be clear, I don't think that most of Trump's supporters are violent bigots. A lot of them are basically decent people like Charlene, the cashier at my local 7-11. You know she's having a tought time financially and her son is addicted to meth, and she herself occasionally likes to get tweaked as fuck. Goddamnit Trump! Stop using racist nonsense to manipulate Charlene's brain. To return to the initial question "is Trump racist?" Ultimately, the Storm Front neo-nazis think that Trump is trying to appeal to them with racist rhetoric. If you're not being kinda racist, that's not a thing that Neo-Nazis should think. So, I guess, yeah. That does make him pretty goddamn racist, the goddamn orangey. I'm just about sick of his goddamn orangey-loving followers- ["Orangie-Loving" flashes onscreen with blaring horns] Oh geez, racist. I am the real racist.

[Contrapoints shouts "fuck" from the top of her lungs]

[Roll credits]