With the shocking victory of President-elect Donald Trump and the growing voice of white supremacist groups, comes a flood of racist comments that have caused several Americans to stop and think. The motto Make America Great Again ‘ Does it imply an ethnic cleansing of the region? Is a hidden majority of Americans racist?
The Alt-Right got under the coattails of the Trump crowd, provoking deportation speeches and racist rhetoric. It is a modernized version of white nationalism adapted to the 21st century. The tenets of white nationalism are that they believe that Caucasians should identify themselves as a group with a common genetic heritage and that they often share the same cultural background. They want to use this common feature to work toward policies that are favored by whites.
White supremacists believe that whites are superior to all races and the overwhelming response from the United States hints that no matter how culturally diverse the United States is, it is predominantly a white nationalist country. Immediately after Trump ascended to the presidency, a hidden majority of voters who felt threatened by the nation’s racial diversity had voted for Trump to embark on this racial cleansing. Racial slurs began in everyday life, from spray-painting offensive words on African-American-owned cars to physically assaulting men, women, and children of non-white descent.
While racism was definitely never invisible in America, and frankly, racism is never invisible anywhere, a host of rural, white American men and women gave voice to their dream of a purely white America. The number of racist attacks has increased and white supremacists act extremely hostile against other races, despite the fact that the victim is usually a US citizen.
The first warning sign came when Trump’s racist comments were so well received. Trump was going to deport immigrants, build a wall to separate Mexico, racially profile Muslims; Suddenly, Trump supporters grew like wildfire. Why is this racial discrimination so attractive to such a large majority of voters? Is it because the deep racism of past generations has been secretly harbored and nurtured within select segments of Americans? Is it because they are not open minded? Or is it because they are blinded by their dream of a white America to even believe that cultural diversity benefits the country?
President-elect Trump has already started building his wall. He has built the wall of racial division within America. Americans are no longer blind to someone’s race and diversity. They see it, they hate it, and sadly, they want to get rid of it.