Hump Day Trump Day
Posted by Michelle Moquin on August 17th, 2016
GOOD MORNING!
I’ve been glued to the television, and staying up late to watch the Olympics. I literally just scanned all the comments. Whoa…lots of chatter about Trump. I guess it’s Trump week. Pretty easy considering how much there is to say about him.
Here’s the write from Think Progress:
Donald Trump’s Veiled Signals To White Supremacists
“You are not just responsible for what you say, you’re responsible for what people hear.”
That is how former NSA Director Michael Hayden reacted to Donald Trump’s recent call for “Second Amendment people” to stop Hillary Clinton. The Trump campaign responded as it always does after sparking outrage with an inflammatory remark: insisting the GOP nominee meant something completely innocent and blaming the media for negative spin.
But groups monitoring extremist communities in the United States say they’re increasingly worried about how such communities are interpreting Trump’s rhetoric, regardless of his intent. The non-partisan Southern Poverty Law Center sounded the alarm this week about white supremacist groups, on- and offline, citing Trump’s words and actions as signals of support.
The SPLC’s Heidi Beirich, who tracks the rhetoric and actions of hate groups, pointed to the Trump campaign’s pattern of following and retweeting influential white supremacists, giving interviews to explicitly racist media outlets, and repeatedly emphasizing the criminality of people of color and immigrants. She told reporters this treatment “reinforces the core beliefs of the white nationalist movement.”
“For the first time, they feel they have someone running for the highest office saying things they believe and want to see,” she said. “White nationalists desperately fear the demographic changes the country is going through, and they see Trump as their last stand and last best hope for controlling the country.”
‘Good Genes’
Since he entered the national political scene in 2011 by questioning whether the country’s first black president was a U.S. citizen, Trump has sent signals of approval to white nationalists and conspiracy theorists while elevating their ideas from fringe websites to a mainstream audience.
One of those signals, Beirich and others argued, is his repeated reference to his own superior genes.
Trump has long attributed his wealth and success to his genetic makeup. He told Playboy in 1990 that he is “a strong believer in genes” and that, because his children inherited those genes, they don’t need “adversity” to build skills and character. In 2010, he gave an interview in which he discussed his “breeding” at length and compared himself to a racehorse.
“I’m a gene believer,” he said. “When you connect two racehorses, you usually end up with a fast horse. I had a good gene pool from the stand point of that.”
Trump has also repeatedly cited his uncle, an MIT professor, as proof of his “good genes, very good genes.” He has done this so often that the New Yorker referred to the family connection as Trump’s “sort of eugenic guarantor of intelligence and breeding.”
Angelo Carusone with Media Matters for America, which has also been tracking white supremacist message boards, radio shows, and websites, says this obsessive talk of genetics reinforces and elevates the racist ideas found in those forums.
“It reinforces the idea that genetics are a legitimate qualification for leadership.”
“He constantly cites his own genetic background and argued that his brain is biologically better because of his genes,” Carusone said. “That could be Trump just being braggadocious, but it reinforces the idea that genetics are a legitimate qualification for leadership.”
Genetic intelligence, and its connection to race, is a common theme on white nationalist websites like American Renaissance and Stormfront. These groups, along with others like the American Freedom Party and the Council of Conservative Citizens, celebrated when Trump accused a Latino federal judge of being unfit for his job because of his “heritage” — essentially, his genes.
Ryan Lenz, the editor of the SPLC’s Hatewatch research project, told ThinkProgress that Trump’s emphasis on genes could be yet another of the many “dog whistle” messages he has offered far-right white nationalist groups.
“It has happened so many times now that if it’s not a strategy, it’s certainly a pattern,” he said.
The Trump campaign did not respond to ThinkProgress’ questions about these comments.
Social media footsie
Twitter has been a staple of Donald Trump’s campaign, allowing him to bypass the press and instantly communicate with millions of voters. But the social platform has also gotten him into trouble.
After Trump shared a meme in July depicting what looked like a Jewish star resting on a bed of money, reporters and tracking groups discovered that the image came from an white supremacist online community.
Further digging revealed that the Trump campaign has a history of promoting messages and images from openly racist accounts.
“He has retweeted some of the most influential voices in the white nationalist community,” said Carusone, “and he has refused to disavow it.”
Katrina Pierson, the official spokesperson for the Trump campaign, also follows white supremacists on social media, including the leaders of the movement promoting the idea that there is a genocide currently being perpetuated against white people. Many of Trump’s state-level staff follow similar accounts.
When Fortune magazine hired an analytics company to comb through Trump’s Twitter history, they found that the mogul has retweeted at least 75 users who follow three or more of the top 50 influencers in the “white genocide” movement.
“Donald Trump and his campaign have used social media to court support within the white supremacist community,” Fortune concluded.
White supremacists themselves have been open about the message they take away from Trump’s online habits.
“Our Glorious Leader and ULTIMATE SAVIOR has gone full-wink-wink-wink to his most aggressive supporters,” the site Daily Stormer gushed after Trump retweeted several “white genocide” accounts.
The non-white criminal menace
The theme of non-white criminality has been central to Trump’s campaign, despite the fact that both undocumented immigration and violent crime are at their lowest rates in decades, and despite ample evidence that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S. nationals.
The hotel mogul launched his bid for president with a speech proclaiming that Latino immigrants are rapists who are “bringing drugs, bringing crime” to the United States. Last month, he accepted the GOP nomination with a speech rife with racial dog whistles and inaccurate statistics about the threat posed by illegal immigrants and inner-city criminals.
“These are literally the ideas that inspired Dylann Roof,” said Beirich, referring to the man who murdered nine black church members in Charleston, South Carolina last year. Roof cited the Council of Conservative Citizens’ warnings about “brutal black on White murders” as inspiration for his massacre. (Incidentally, the the Council of Conservative Citizens openly supports Trump and has made robocalls on his behalf.)
Organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center that monitor extremist groups say Trump is appealing to white nationalists thanks to his focus on black-on-white crime, calls for mass deportations, and discussions of bans on immigration based on religion or country of origin.
“Trump’s whole strategy is to single out people based on things they cannot change, and target them for exclusion,” said Ryan Lenz, the editor of the SPLC’s Hatewatch program. “And it is almost always presented in terms of national security.”
In particular, said Beirich, Trump’s proposal to deport millions of immigrants “resonates with those who want to ethnically cleanse parts of the United States.”
Loud and clear
Over the last year, prominent white supremacists have endorsed Trump, made robocalls for him, organized rallies for him, raised money for him, and became delegates for his convention. They have praised him as a “glorious leader,” the “best hope for white people” who is “doing the Lord’s work.” They say his win would be “a real opportunity for people like white nationalists.”
Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke — a vocal Trump supporter — said he was inspired to run for a Louisiana Senate this fall after seeing Trump’s success espousing views similar to his own. “I represent the ideas of preserving this country and the heritage of this country, and I think Trump represents that as well,” Duke told NPR.
Duke is not the only white supremacist inspired by Trump to run for office. From Tennessee to Montana to Ohio, candidates with openly racist and antisemitic views have stepped up to seek local and statewide offices.
Rick Tyler, an independent running for Congress in Tennessee, has put up public ads referencing Trump’s iconic slogan. Tyler’s billboard read, “Make America White Again.” The candidate, who opposes interracial marriage and all non-white immigration, specifically credited Trump for “loosen[ing] up the overall spectrum of political discourse.”
Whatever message Trump is intending to send, Caruson argues, it’s important to pay attention to the message these white nationalist groups are hearing.
“Taken together, these incidents demonstrate to these communities that he is on their side,” he said. “It is marshaling them and signaling that he believes their ideas are valid.”
Some white supremacist sites have noted this phenomenon directly. In May, when Trump supporters began targeting Jewish journalists for harassment, and Trump refused to condemn the behavior, the white supremacist site Daily Stormer laid out their takeaway message.
“Trump responded to the request [to denounce the anti-semitic slurs] with ‘I have no message to the fans,’ which might as well have been ‘Hail Victory, Comrades!’”
👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
I’ll catch up with you all soon. But don’t wait on me. :P Carry on…
Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:
Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129
Thank you for your loyal support!
All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2008-2016
“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream
" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"
August 17th, 2016 at 1:23 pm
There’s always been nature and nurture components to the human condition and has been studied for years…and genetics do play a part, (the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree, etc) …
…what’s to take issue with is that he and his groups assunptively think of white as overall and in every way superior.
Luv, Zen Lill
August 17th, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Dead on Zen Lill. I was watching Rachel and she explained the dummy quite well. She said that he gets all his ideas from http://www.breitbart.com/
He has hired the founder of breitbart, Stephen Bannon to be his new campaign CEO and Kellyanne Conway to be his new campaign manager.
August 17th, 2016 at 7:35 pm
Fuck you Irene#2, Bannon is also executive chairman and co-founder of the Government Accountability Institute, where he helped orchestrate the publication of Clinton Cash.
He also directed “Fire from the Heartland: The Awakening of the Conservative Woman” which is a look into female participation in conservative politics and what they believe, what the future will bring, and their opinions on how conservative politics and the Tea Party is portrayed in the media.
He directed “Occupy Unmasked”, which along side Andrew Breitbart, Stephen Bannon contended that the Occupy movement is sinister, violent, and organized with the purpose of destroying the American government. The film also discusses allegations of rape, drug use, and property destruction at the Occupy encampments.
August 17th, 2016 at 7:37 pm
Looks like the crazies are out tonight.
August 17th, 2016 at 7:38 pm
Stephen Bannon will let Trump be Trump.
Im very, very excited about this! Let Trump be Trump! Be a proud Nationalist! We LOVE AMERICA!!!
August 17th, 2016 at 7:39 pm
I HOPE HE FUCKING DESTROYS HILLARY
Have any of you seen how insane r/politics is going over this? Absolutly perfect!
August 18th, 2016 at 6:11 am
Trump loves the blacks. But only the best blacks.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:17 am
Just 8 years ago, this performance by Trump would have ended all serious prospects about his possible election. It’s really bad that the Republican Party was less batshit crazy with George W Bush as its leader than what it’s become since.
Once the media accepted the total dissing of the POTUS because he was black, then any lowlife could hold the office.
Credit white privilege for another lowering of the things this country represented. The world must be watching and thinking has gone batshit crazy.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:19 am
With this election we are seeing Mass Human Insanity first hand from the republican party. Now you know how Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini encouraged savagery from a once civilized population.
The same holds true when a groups hands out machetes in Africa, when people hack their neighbors and relatives to death, for no apparent reason.
This is part of the human condition, as we are also animals, and our closest relatives, the chimpanzees are just as bad.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:21 am
Too bad nobody on trump’s staff has the sense to change the password on his twitter account. Oh, who am I kidding? The idiots running his campaign shouldn’t have the password either.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:22 am
This country is tired of people who look over their shoulder and say “who’s watching”? Obama and Hillary are so damn phony….it’s as if they say “how do I feel?…..how do you want me to feel”? I loathe phony….at least Trump is not unoriginal. You can take everything Trump says and inflate the hell out of it, exaggerate the context and play up the sound bites, but you are going to get him as your president because enough Americans are tired of the Obama/Clinton lifetime politicians who term after term accomplish zero and embarrass us by being so annoyingly political correct..honesty is leadership. And tell Obama to fix that damn whistle I hear everytime he speaks.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:26 am
Trump’s disapproval rating among African Americans and Hispanics is more than 80%. My guess is that he’ll hit 90% before election day.
When you combine that with his disastrous D-rate among Asians (60%) and women (70%), it’s clear that the man is unfit to be POTUS.
But the REALLY bad news for the republicans is that in order to overcome this growing demographic deficit, he’ll need to garner 70% of the white vote which (a) is something Reagan never accomplished at the height of his popularity, and (b) will be impossible unless he can do something about his disapproval rating among white voters which is now close to 60%.
As far as the eventual occupant of the oval office, this election is over. The only question remaining is how much damage the Trump campaign will do to the republican party as a whole.
Be sure to get out there and vote on November 8th to insure that the damage is catastrophic. America will have much brighter future on Nov. 9th.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:33 am
This article from Fortune show the ties trump has with white supremacists. http://fortune.com/donald-trump-white-supremacist-genocide/
“In late January, Donald Trump did something that would have sunk almost any other presidential campaign: He retweeted an anonymous Nazi sympathizer and white supremacist who goes by the not-so-subtle handle @WhiteGenocideTM. Trump neither explained nor apologized for the retweet and then, three weeks later, he did it again. This subsequent retweet was quickly deleted, but just two days later Trump retweeted a different user named @EustaceFash, whose Twitter header image at the time also included the term “white genocide.”
August 18th, 2016 at 6:37 am
Bannon Turned Breitbart Into A “Safe Space For White Supremacists” One read of the comments and articles will confirm this.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:38 am
I see some of the racist scum from Breitbart with their racist bullsh*t posted here Michelle.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:40 am
Trump’s true colors!
You cannot bottle up 65 years of unchecked narcissism, bigotry, racism, and sexism.
Now tonight, someone will say he’s “changing” or “growing up” or “pivoting.” HA!
August 18th, 2016 at 6:41 am
I’m shocked and stunned…
The Ku Klux Klan and other white Supremicists are all firmly behind Donald Trump.
…It’s hard to believe after he was so flattering towards Latinos, Muslim Americans, African Americans, POWs, the disabled etc!
August 18th, 2016 at 6:44 am
Another RWNJ Kills, Again.
https://www.washingtonpost.com…
Khalid Jabara was worried.Last year, his mother had been jogging through the family’s quiet Tulsa neighborhood when she was nearly killed in a vicious hit-and-run.
Police quickly arrested Vernon Majors, who, according to a police report, confessed to the crime and even offered a motive, calling the Jabaras “filthy Lebanese.”
On May 25 of this year, however, Majors bonded out of jail.
That’s when he returned home — right next to the Jabaras.
On Friday, Khalid learned that his next-door neighbor, the man accused of harassing his family and attacking his mother, was now armed.
“Khalid called the police stating this man had a gun and that he was scared for what might happen,” his sister, Victoria Jabara Williams, wrote on Facebook. “The police came and told him there was nothing to be done.”
Minutes later, Khalid was talking on the phone with his mother when he stepped outside to get the mail.
The 61-year-old opened fire, fatally wounding the 37-year-old Khalid, according to police.
Majors was waiting for him, police say.Majors “frequently calls in to complain about Ms. Jabara,” the officer added. “On previous interactions Majors repeatedly referred to his neighbors, the Jabara family, as ‘Aye-rabs’ and ‘Mooslems’ (Arabs and Muslims).”
Questioned after the hit-and-run, “Majors remarked that Mrs. Jabara and her family were filthy Lebanese and they throw gay people off roof tops,” another officer wrote.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:46 am
Donald Trump’s Strange New Attack On Hillary Clinton Echoes White Supremacists
https://thinkprogress.org/dona…
“In fact, Trump’s new line about Clinton wanting to become “America’s Merkel” can be found almost verbatim in these white supremacist forums.
“If Hillary takes power she will be to America what Merkel is to Germany,” a member of Stormfront wrote in March. “Hillary Clinton is America’s Angela Merkel,” wrote a commenter on American Renaissance in April.”
“Less than a year ago, Trump had nothing but effusive praise for Merkel, calling her “fantastic” and “probably the greatest leader in the world today.”
Weeks later, after Merkel announced that her country would accept hundreds of thousands of refugees, Trump changed his mind, slamming her for “ruining Germany” and calling her a “catastrophic leader.”
This week, he claimed that “crime has risen to levels that no one thought would they would ever see” thanks to Merkel’s refugee policy. But official data shows no increase in crime over the last year, and the number of crimes committed by migrants has declined by more than 18 percent between January and March of this year.”
August 18th, 2016 at 6:49 am
Trump has the hate vote secured.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:50 am
Brittany#20,
Obama created the hate vote. All the micro divisions in America.
I am an American…yes, hispanic ethnic background but I am a Texan!
August 18th, 2016 at 6:51 am
Waters#21, You are an idiot. Race politics has been around since the civil war fool, as have the divisions in America.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:52 am
Waters#21,
“segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever”
Yeah Obama created it, when he was 2
August 18th, 2016 at 6:53 am
Waters#21, Oh crap! You’re from Texas! Hee haw! No wonder, no more explaining needed!
August 18th, 2016 at 6:54 am
Waters#21, Obama did no such thing. The election of a black man as POTUS was the jumping off point for the racists to crawl back out of the woodwork; now the campaign of Trump has emboldened them.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:56 am
Like Waters’s#21, claim to be hispanic has any meaning to anyone with a brain.
August 18th, 2016 at 6:57 am
I love the fact that trolls like Waters#21 will believe the word of a KKK member, wholeheartedly, but not take the opinions of people opposed to them seriously.
They shoot themselves in their racist-sympathising foot so easily!
August 18th, 2016 at 7:00 am
Trump is an elite.
He was born an elite. He sells his sh8tty products to elites. Trump has no interest in you unless he can take your money, Knox.
Trump serves Trump, full stop.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:14 am
On Wednesday, the US Air Force made history by flying all three operational bombers, the B-52, the B-1, and the B-2 over Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, before conducting drills in the South China Sea and Northeast Asia.
Essentially, it is the goal of US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) to constantly station nuclear-capable bombers in the Pacific in a visible effort to deter aggression in the region. But lately, the US has stepped up the presence, pulling out all three big bombers, while China has been acting increasingly aggressively towards their neighbors in the South China Sea.
China, for their part, has attempted to establish a “no sail zone,” intruded into Japan’s territorial waters, and flew bomber patrols of their own over the disputed islands and shoals since the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague ruled against their claims to the South China Sea. Now it would seem the US is answering.
“This mission demonstrated the US commitment to supporting global security and our ability to launch a credible strategic defense force,” Brig. Gen. Douglas Cox, the 36th Wing commander said of the exercises in an Air Force statement.
Flying all three bombers and training with allies provides the US and partners with the realistic training they need to provide credible deterrence.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:18 am
Mike,TM@29, The B-1 is no longer nuclear capable.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:20 am
Mike,TM#29, you still accusing china of military escalation in the SCS???
August 18th, 2016 at 7:21 am
Ira#30, The B-1B is no longer armed with nuclear weapons but is capable of carrying the AGM-86B air launch cruise missile (ALCM) and the AGM-69 short-range attack missile. The AGM-86B is nuclear capable, so in a pinch, no problem.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:21 am
Ping#31, Yes. China is engaging in military escalation in the SCS. In East China Sea and border with India, also. Through it’s proxy, N. Korea, also.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:24 am
It is in China’s backyard and, closer to China than the US. Diaoyu and South China Sea has been part of China’s territories for thousands of years.
Mike,TM#29, this shows how shallow your knowledge of history is, read up on history.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:25 am
There aint no way we would drop a nuke or even a fire cracker on China.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:26 am
Wong#34, Garbage. The court at the Hague ruled that the South China Sea is not China’s territory. There is no history to show China exerting its rule over the South China Sea.
China’s govt is a communist bully that tramples even its own citizens. China’s communist govt is as bad as a pedophile.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:27 am
Anon#36, The so-called “court” is not fair. Just one example, it ruled that Taiping island (110 acres) is not an island but a rock while Okinotori (2 acres only and completely underwater in high tides) is an island. Why? The judge is Japanese …… No wonder China ignore the “court”
August 18th, 2016 at 7:29 am
Anon#36, But he said thousands of years. Of course perhaps there are people who can point to using the SCS as if it were territory more recently and probably some groups that could claim it their territory by virtue of it being their territory prior. It is a bit specious to claim the PRC has direct lineage to prior dynasties and if the thousands of year’s count as the measure, then Taiwan could also make this claim.
Probably time for humanity to look to creating something other than the nation state to deal with concepts of control over oceans and seas beyond immediate borders. Out there it is really an issue of right to resources (fishing) which really is a resource for all that just happens to pass through an area.
The Chinese and many others love to cite their thousands of years of history but I personally could care less, and don’t look to highly on people who’s focus more on the achievement of their ancestors as it is usually to hide attention on their own generations failings.
I am more interested in what you can achieve today and in the future, the past is done and the further back, the less relevant.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:30 am
Tito#37, The real question is why is anyone arguing over such small and often remote locations?
Maybe that’s something only Howie can answer.
What say ye, Howie?
August 18th, 2016 at 7:31 am
Tito#36, Give me 30 million dollars, and I’ll declare the whole South China Sea belongs to the Philippines.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:33 am
Cortez#40, So poor Philippines outbid the Chinese economic powerhouse? But China could give Cambodia 600 million dollars to veto the mention of the Hague ruling in the recent ASEAN summit?
You don’t know where to put your money?
August 18th, 2016 at 7:34 am
“LAND OF THE FREE, HOME OF THE BRAVE” : No nation owns the Seas we navigate or the Air we Breath. CHINA IS PLAYING WITH FIRE. CHINA IS MESSING WITH THE MOST POWERFUL NATION ON EARTH
August 18th, 2016 at 7:36 am
Doris#35, do not be foolish. We might have to do it. History definitely repeats itself… If war breaks out, all options are on table. Period.
August 18th, 2016 at 7:37 am
Keung#43, China has lifted millions out of property. American needs to make peace in Middle East first..
August 18th, 2016 at 7:39 am
Dàzhong#44, china is the last commie gov on the planet.