Cartoon by Dan Cordero
“Tens of thousands of violent beatings, rapes, and murders are happening” in the crimson stained hands of the “incarcerated alien population,” or so Donald Trump claims in his “immigration plan.” Trump said his brand of immigration reform will make America great again, a statement flaunted in an audacious manner on his website.
Throughout the Southwestern campus faculty and students break into laughter at the mention of Trump’s name. His self-aggrandizing campaign has boosted his notoriety, but not everyone shares the same inflated opinion of Trump that he has of himself. His hostility toward Latinos and other ethnicities has turned the minorities he has belittled into a scorned resistance against a tyrant in the making.
Fear and finance are the candidate’s twin weapons. Trump uses right-wing resentment over diversifying America to seduce his cult-like following, only to metaphorically hand his supporters pitchforks and torches to drive out hard-working immigrants. Trumpphobia is shrill and false. Latino migrants are rarely criminals, far less than any other group residing in America.
Trump does not acknowledge that immigrants are good for America’s economy. Former SWC student Jesus Salmon said Trump is scapegoating Latinos.
“When you think of the American dream, it’s starting from nothing to make something,” he says. “Trump was raised in money. He knows nothing about the life of someone born in poverty.”
By building a wall to separate Mexico and America Trump says he will block miscreants, but he would actually stifle progress.
Trump blames immigrants for America’s crime rate.
“They (Latinos) are responsible for this problem and they must help pay to clean it up,” he thundered.
While Trump has presented a fanciful solution to the country’s crime rate and financial crisis, his racism has alienated huge swaths of the electorate.
“Not a single candidate (Trump or otherwise) has a good grasp of the immigration challenge in America,” said Professor of Political Science Victor Chavez. “A solution for immigration will not be found until people begin to see the bilateral phenomena and embrace the totality of emigration and immigration. This will not happen anytime soon. Why not? Because it would force people to see the causes of (emigrants) leaving.”
Chavez said a wall will not work due to Trump’s lack of knowledge on immigration.
“He does not understand the gravity of this phenomenon,” Chavez said. “It is unstoppable. Until politicians start addressing why emigrants are leaving their countries instead of what it takes to keep people out, no policy Trump proposes will work.”
Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon said his country will not pay a cent for Trump’s “stupid wall” and called Trump a “not very well-informed man.”
Trump responded by threatening to increase fees on visas for Mexicans or even cancelling all visas and banning Mexicans from the U.S., which Salmon said is shocking in the 21st century.
“He’s trying to stop everyone from coming to America,” he said. “He’s racist, he’s a blatant racist.” Trump’s dogwhistle rhetoric has become a summoning hymn for those who mask their racism with phony patriotism.
San Diego Union-Tribune photographer Misael Virgen shrugs off Trumpismo.
“His comments are ignorant to say the least, but he has as much right to express his opinions as you and I,” Virgen said.
America was built on the foundation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Natural born citizens, as well as immigrants, have the right to pursue this ideal, regardless of race.
“This country was built by immigrants escaping this exact type of prosecution and intolerance,” Virgen said.
Trump, by the way, is descended from immigrants. Oops.
