It is 82 days until the next U.S. congressional midterm election.
I do not care, at this point, if Donald Trump used the N-word, much less whether it’s been captured on tape. Considering what he has said and done, him using a racial epithet would rank rather down the list.
Seriously, how much worse can that make him?
He has singled out black athletes and marshalled his hate-fueled forces against them because they have the audacity to cry out for justice for black men who suffer inequitably at the hands of law enforcement and the justice system.
Following a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in which a woman was killed, he asserted there were “fine people on both sides” of the rally.
There was his description of Haiti, El Salvador and African countries in general as “shithole countries.”
He charged that a U.S. district judge did not treat him fairly because the American-born judge was of Mexican descent.
Don’t forget his loud accusations – long before he entered any political race – that the nation’s first African-American president was born in Kenya and was a Muslim.
During the campaign, he attacked Muslim parents who lost a son fighting for the United States in the Iraq war.
He opened his run for office denouncing Mexican immigrants as the “worst people” and “rapists.”
As president, he’s fought to block immigrants from whole countries, all of which are majority Muslim. It’s worth noting his ban did not affect Muslim countries where he does business.
He referred to Puerto Ricans as ingrates when they protested government response after Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
I won’t even try to decide which examples to cite illustrating Trump thinks of women as objects to be owned and values them solely for their physical attributes. Some two dozen women have accused him of sexual assault over the last three decades.
During one of his debates, he mocked a physically handicapped reporter. Of course, he continually mocks all reporters and news outlets that report truthfully about him.
I cannot imagine, given his track record, that he hasn’t used the word.
But I ask again, how could even that make him worse? Even if he never has and never will use it, he is verifiably full of hate for most people and takes pleasure from their suffering. What else do you need to know?
Now, back to the reason for this countdown to the election…
If you wish to be associated with and support Trump and the disheartening number of Republicans who think like him and/or assist him, prepare yourself for a disappointing fall because…
If you find the conduct of Trump and his enablers to be abhorrent, if you wish to see our nation’s image changed, if you care about how all people are treated, if you desire good health care for everyone, if you recognize the important contributions to immigrants and see that we need them to help fund and craft our future, if…
If you want to be part of what it takes to begin repairing this damage to our nation, then make sure you’re registered to vote and help drive the Blue Wave during the fall elections.
And enlighten a friend.
Steve Martaindale 