One of Donald Trump's big crowd pleasers since day one is pushing the hate agenda. Mexicans are coming to kill us, they are all criminals, etc. When he initially started spewing this hate talk, way back in June of 2015, many declared his campaign DOA. No chance he would survive long enough to even make it to the first debate, let alone become the GOP front runner, the pundits declared.
Well, folks, you were all wrong. Hate is big business in the United States these days and Trump knows it. He has honed in to a previously semi-hidden part of this country that literally hates anyone not American and white. Prior to Trump's surging lead, these folks kept their xenophobic, racist, sexist, homophobic hate talk to dinner conversation, KKK meetings and gun shows. Trump has legitimized their hate. He has made it acceptable to talk about it openly, in the press, in large groups, in public forums. In fact, he encourages it.
One of Trump's big sells is the idea of building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Not just any wall, though. It will be a YUGE wall.
Trump was quoted back in July of 2015 in an article in the Business Insider as saying the following about his proposed "wall" and the types of people he thinks are coming to the U.S."
"They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems to us. They’re bringing drugs.They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists...The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc. "
He did say a few nice things later in a written statement about "some" Mexicans being good people but the damage was done. And wow, the racists in the U.S. latched onto it and he became their hero.
But wait, just yesterday Trump admitted something that many of us knew all along. Building a wall is not going to happen. Wait, what? No wall? But this is your big promise to your disciples?!
Well, Trump supporters, hate to break it to you, but there is not going to be a wall. Trump told the New York Times editorial board that when the audience looks a little bored, he starts screaming about the wall to wake them up and rouse the crowd. Sure, he knows the wall won't ever get built, but he needs the applause. So he lies.
The sad thing is that most of Trump's devotees -- I mean supporters -- know he is probably, most likely, definitely, lying. But that doesn't stop them from screaming "build a wall" anytime he sneers at them and starts spewing his hate talk.
Every day, his followers seem more like acolytes eager to ferry him across the landscape of this campaign in a gilded sedan chair, no matter how much he lies to them.
