Racism is a terrible sin. Yet it seems, these days, to have the potential to produce political leverage. And politicians are sadly prepared to use it.
Back in July, President Donald Trump was rightly in hot water for tweets concerning four Democratic congresswomen of black or ethnic minority background that they should ‘go back’ to the countries they were from, despite the fact that they are all American citizens, three of whom were actually born in the United States. The House of Representatives passed a motion condemning the President’s words. Trump ducked the criticism by saying that his comments were not racist, but to do with the fact that the radical left-wing politics of these women is against what America stands for as a society. Since then, at the beginning of August, there have been two more mass shootings in the US, in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, at least one of which targeted non-white people. Trump responded by saying ‘hatred has no place in America.’ But is he giving mixed messages?
The Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage, which had only been in existence six weeks, made extra-ordinary gains. But the Liberal Democrats, who have committed themselves to a second referendum hoping to stop our leaving the EU, also drew major support. The conclusion the political commentators rightly came to was that the UK is an increasingly divided country.
Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of the USA took place on 20 January amid protests in Washington and across the world from women’s groups and many others. These protests were reminiscent of those in Britain after the result of the Brexit referendum was announced. The election of Trump and Brexit are seen as part of a conservative (small c) backlash against multi-culturalism and the moves towards globalism of recent years. ‘The world has changed’, we are told.
It is an Internet shot from the opening montage of London 2012. The Queen is walking in the corridors of Buckingham Palace with Daniel Craig in his role as James Bond. Speech bubbles have been added. The intelligence officer is saying: ‘…and Donald Trump, ma’am?’ The Queen is responding: ‘Make it look like an accident, 007.’
Donald ducks
Racism is a terrible sin. Yet it seems, these days, to have the potential to produce political leverage. And politicians are sadly prepared to use it.
Back in July, President Donald Trump was rightly in hot water for tweets concerning four Democratic congresswomen of black or ethnic minority background that they should ‘go back’ to the countries they were from, despite the fact that they are all American citizens, three of whom were actually born in the United States. The House of Representatives passed a motion condemning the President’s words. Trump ducked the criticism by saying that his comments were not racist, but to do with the fact that the radical left-wing politics of these women is against what America stands for as a society. Since then, at the beginning of August, there have been two more mass shootings in the US, in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, at least one of which targeted non-white people. Trump responded by saying ‘hatred has no place in America.’ But is he giving mixed messages?