Opinion: Trump's Response to #BlackLivesMatter
Trump’s reactions to the recent protests for the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and the many other black Americans that have lost their lives due to police brutality is appalling. Trump’s actions during the movement show that he has no regard for the pain and anger that millions of Americans feel toward the excessive force used by police against people of color in America every day. Trump’s behavior on social media and in public proves that his image is more important to him than addressing the needs of the citizens of our nation.
The first example of Trump’s disregard for the protests came when it was rumored that Trump hid in a bunker under the White House when protests in Washington, DC came a little too close to the White House for comfort. It was confirmed by White House officials that Trump did in fact take cover during the protests, but Trump maintains that it was nothing more than a rumor. To combat these claims, Trump made a visit to St. John Paul’s church in Washington for a photo op. In an effort to keep protesters at bay, military and police officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters outside the White House. There were multiple reports of injuries following the conflict and Trump made the false claim that no tear gas was used even with video evidence taken by protesters showing that tear gas was, in fact, used. Trump’s blatant denial of the reality of the situation shows that he does not care about the people he swore to protect. This is especially alarming since he’s the president of this country and it is his duty to protect the American people. If he is willing to hurt peaceful protesters for a photo op, then what else is he willing to do?
Trump’s second failure was his “thugs” tweet. On Thursday, May 29th, in response to the Minneapolis protests, Trump tweeted the following: “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!'' This tweet caused outrage all over social media. Twitter users also found a tweet from a few months prior when Trump denounced the use of the word “thug” to describe protesters in Iraq. Why would Trump call his own citizens thugs, especially with the racial connotation of the word? Trump’s lack of respect for his own citizens is proof that he is willing to insult and allow protesters to potentially be injured to stay in control. In the same tweet, he says that he wants to get the military involved in the protests while also tweeting “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” This directly threatens the lives of Americans exercising their right to protest. Once again, involving the military means that thousands of peaceful protesters would be put in harm's way. If police officers were already clashing with protesters and bystanders, involving the military would only increase the tension.
The worst part is that the tensions have worsened, as on June 1st, David McAtee, who was known for feeding police officers free of charge at his BBQ shop, was killed by the Kentucky National Guard in Louisville. McAtee was not even directly involved in the protest. To make matters worse, numerous eyewitnesses reported that McAtee’s body was left on the street for 12 hours. This is exactly the type of tragedy that the president should be trying to prevent, but instead, he is permitting and amplifying the threat.
With everything going on in the country right now, President Trump should be focusing on the people that he is supposed to protect. Unfortunately, Trump appears more concerned with his self-image and his need to assert his dominance over the American people. People of color all over America and around the world are fighting for their right to live, and Trump has invalidated them and their goals at every turn. Right now, more than ever, America needs a president who will listen to their needs, and Trump is clearly unfit for the job.
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