By Felicia J. Persaud
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Oct. 31, 2024: In a nation shaped by the ongoing fight for racial equality, it is perplexing to see any person of color – particularly immigrants and African Americans – express support for someone who has repeatedly made racist, xenophobic remarks and engaged in discriminatory actions. Yet, recent polls and a New York Times article revealed just that: Black and Latino voters, including some women, are planning to cast their votes for Donald Trump, the former president and now a convicted felon. According to recent polls, 15% of Black men and 12% of Black women said they would support Trump in the 2024 election.
Two women featured in the Times article admitted they were offended by some of Trump’s rhetoric but still believed in his ability to lead. This raises a crucial question: Can you truly value yourself while supporting someone whose words and actions degrade your identity and community? Are frustrations with the Democrats and current candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, so deep that some are willing to align with a man whose divisive rhetoric echoes the fascism of Mussolini and Hitler?
One voter, Cristal Bailey, a 52-year-old Black woman from California, told the Times she supports Trump despite his offensive comments about people of color, believing he cares about “real people and their problems.” Similarly, Shirley Trevino, a 49-year-old Latina from Texas, was previously offended by Trump’s behavior but now believes he is “the best candidate.”
It’s astonishing that voters like Bailey and Trevino could overlook years of racially charged rhetoric aimed at vilifying their own communities. From Trump’s history of racial discrimination in the rental of apartments in the 1970s, to his infamous full-page ad calling for the death penalty for the falsely accused Central Park Five – Trump’s racism dates back decades. His birther conspiracy against President Obama, launched in 2008, and his 2016 campaign’s inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants being “rapists” only extended his harmful legacy.
As president, Trump continued this trajectory: he implemented a Muslim immigration ban, reportedly referred to Black-majority nations as “s—hole” countries, separated predominantly Latino families at the border, and refused to fully condemn white supremacists after the deadly Charlottesville rally – famously calling those marching for Confederate statues “very fine people.” He has routinely touted his defense of suburban America after rolling back Obama-era segregation tracking rules.
Trump’s rhetoric has never been a series of isolated incidents but a central aspect of his political strategy – designed to divide and conquer. From claiming that Haitian immigrants are eating pets, to labeling immigrants “the most violent people on Earth,” and “animals” who are “invading” America, Trump’s racist and xenophobic comments have continuously fueled fear and hatred.
So, how can any immigrant or person of color support Trump? His policies have consistently harmed the very groups now considering voting for him. Supporting Trump is a direct contradiction to the struggles of immigrants and people of color in this country for the simple right to even exist here. It’s a painful reality that requires cognitive dissonance – forcing people to overlook the fact that Trump’s presidency has emboldened white nationalism and systemic racism.
The uncomfortable truth is that Trump’s campaign thrives on stoking racial and ethnic division. That is all he has. Even prominent Republicans like Paul Ryan have condemned Trump’s remarks as “textbook racism.” For immigrants and people of color, voting for Trump is not just a political choice – it’s an endorsement of a man who has repeatedly devalued their existence.
What’s at stake here is not just political gain, but the very integrity of the communities that Trump has attacked. The question remains: can you truly love yourself and your community while supporting someone who has built his rise to power on hatred and division? As you head to the polls, that’s the only question you need to ask.
To quote Trump himself, you might need your head examined if you choose to vote for him.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focused on positive news about Black immigrant communities from the Caribbean and Latin America.
