A word about all these threads implying white voters are racists

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

STOP IT!!!!

Nothing could be further from the truth and it is HIGHLY OFFENSIVE!!!!

While some of the people who voted for Trump ARE racists...all of the white people who voted for him are NOT. Millions of white people voted for Hillary AND Obama before her. If you are going to start a thread and say something about white or rural voters stop and consider how it would sound if you were writing it about black voters, muslim voters, hispanic voters, LGBT voters or any other group.

Regarding those white rust belt voters going for Trump...he promised to bring their jobs back. Yes, we all know it was a lie and he doesn't care, but those folks are DESPERATE to just survive. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have never been homeless or not had food for your children. As someone who has been in those positions more than once and who understands rural voters (regardless of their race)...most of those people don't give a crap about race. They just want a good job so they can survive. Did they vote against their best interest? Of course they did! Should people talk about that and WHY it's happening? Yes! But for the love of all that is good can we PLEASE stop painting all white and rural people as racists? It's just NOT factual and it's bigoted to do it.

[Goblinmonger]

1. Well

this should be interesting

FWIW: I tend to agree with you.

[Kilgore]

151. Something to drink while we watch?

[Goblinmonger]

158. Thanks

That popcorn was getting salty.

[bhikkhu]

2. Plenty of them are just not worried about racism

It never hurt them, basically.

I live in a semi-rural trump supporting area full of white non-racists, btw.

[onecaliberal]

5. First thaye came for the muslims.... silence says a lot. I don't want to align myself

With people wh don't care about th suffering of another because it doesn't hurt them. That is NOT how we made progress in this country.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

15. It's not that they don't care about the plights of others, it's really not

It's that they are living paycheck to paycheck IF they even have a job and they are a couple of hundred dollars away from having no heat, no food or no home. If you have ever had to live like that you are too busy trying to survive to even think about anything else. There is a massive difference between not caring and being too worried about how you are going to survive to focus on anything else.

[onecaliberal]

90. I get that, and the reason I am a democrat is because I care about them.

The thing is, they need to care about themselves. In so many cases they vote republican which keeps them in desperate circumstances. It's a vicious cycle.
How many of those people get their news from Fox? I know exactly what it was like to live paycheck to paycheck, but it used to be possible to go to school and better yourself. It's nearly impossible for people to do what we did to work out of it now because of the republicans. And even if they do go to school, it's really difficult to find a job, and even if they do, they're saddled with so much debt they are still poor for decades. Again, thank a republican for that.
IF they do not have a job it is the republicans that DON'T want them to get help.
IF they do have a job, it is the republicans that WANT them to work for slave wages.
It is the republicans that want to take AWAY healthcare.
and on and on.... We need to start telling these people exactly who has put them in the circumstances they're now in, and it's damn sure not the democratic party.

[mountain grammy]

104. I have many friends like that and guess what?

They didn't vote for trump..they know a lying, racist blowhard when they see him. Most of the trump supporters I know are posting pics from lavish vacations but could never vote for Hillary because their insurance premiums went up.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

107. The most vocal Trump voter I know

lives in an old mobile home and is married to a disabled veteran.

Two others live in campers.

It's probably not a good idea to assume that your experience is the same as everyone else.

[mountain grammy]

119. I'm sure it's not

But I also don't equate poverty with ignorance. People are willfully ignorant regardless of their life situation, and most of the working poor, and I've been there, know a con man when they see him. For the most part, white middle, upper middle, and wealthy men and women voted fascist. I'm sure there were many down and out who bought in, but the majority are doing fine.

[bhikkhu]

120. They run the gamut, median income $70K

which means a lot have good incomes, and some don't. And most of them on either side of the median aren't concerned with racism. I would say that I understand it because I grew up a fairly privileged white, and was against racism in principle, but I never saw racism. Not that it wasn't present, but I never saw it, and it had nothing to do with me. Same with homophobia and misogyny; I was opposed in principle, but I never really saw them; that's just how the world was, and the world worked pretty well for me. So a lack of concern.

If you are born and raised in a white town your fortunes tend to vary with the local economy and your own efforts, and you imagine its the same everywhere. You imagine its all pretty fair, and blame the government when its not. If you hear that some group (such as immigrants) is getting a leg up, you would be prone to think that's your tax dollars at work...and so forth. I don't think most people are bad, but greed is as big a part of the equation as want, and rural attitudes have always tended towards an us-vs-them worldview. Generally not a solvable problem, as far as I can see.

I avoid conversations where facts are not involved, and generally try to practice and advocate kindness. We could do a lot better as a people, but plenty of people see no need to, and no benefit for themselves.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

146. I've always made a point of trying to expose myself and my kids to as much diversity as I can

We have friends from all walks of life. I'd say at least half of our neighbors are black, hispanic, muslim and immigrants and some are LGBT. Heck, we even know a couple of transgender people. My kids were always raised to stick up for people who are being mistreated, and they do. I also grew up in a place where you just didn't see racism. When you are from northern states you really don't see much racism. It is different in the southern states. In the south it is something you almost always are aware of and with some people you can feel it festering just below the surface. This is NOT true of all, but it's definitely way more than in the north.

But from the north...most people don't grow up exposed to racism so they don't realize that in other areas it's a big issue. I think that has a lot to do with how Trump managed to win in the rust belt.

[adigal]

147. I'm sorry, when you vote for someone screaming racist statements over and over and over

You are painted with the same brush.

Racist.

[Justice]

166. Exactly

[Kolesar]

180. With ya' ... eom

[yallerdawg]

3. I'm sorry, I live in Alabama.

What did you say?

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

18. The rust belt isn't in the south, though

These were states that usually go Democratic and who voted for Obama. Isn't it kind of silly to say the white people in those states are all racists if they went for Obama?

I live in the south now, too. Yes, there is more racism in the rural south, and even so there are still plenty of white people in the south who are NOT racists. None of my family is racist even though when we moved here from New England a lot of people assumed that we were just because we are white. Just assuming someone is a racist is bigoted too. If someone is then call them out on it, but it's not fair to assume.

[LuvLoogie]

50. Did you vote for Trump? I live paycheck to paycheck.

Fought off two sell dates on my home and got it
t out of foreclosure this past summer. My roof is leaking in 5 areas. There's a two foot hole on my living room ceiling. I take public transportation everyday. I was all in for Hillary, still am. Fuck Trump. Fuck the people who voted for him. May they die landless meth heads in their hard and soft core bigotry. Their plausible deniability can eat shit.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

61. And you sound just like those 'racists' you so deplore.

Do you never look in a mirror or listen to yourself?

Fuck Trump. Fuck the people who voted for him. May they die landless meth heads in their hard and soft core bigotry. Their plausible deniability can eat shit.

[LuvLoogie]

72. Good. I hope they are lurking and reveling in their superiority.

[mountain grammy]

106. No, not really..in fact, not at all.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

67. No, I didn't vote for that orange asshole. I voted for Hillary in a battleground state...

I've been homeless multiple times after leaving someone that beat the living snot out of me and our children. I had to sell my car to pay the rent almost a year ago and still don't have a car. I would not have the internet if I did not work from home using it. I'm over 50 years old and have never been on a vacation or owned my own home. I've struggled financially my entire life. My disabled child sobbed in my arms over Trump being elected, fearful for her future. I have family who have been victims of hate crimes.

And with all that I STILL have enough sense to know that making assumptions and calling people I don't even know racist is unfair, unjust, irresponsible and bigoted. I'm not going to be that way because I'm NOT like Trump. I don't make bigoted assumptions about large swaths of people based on stereotypes and other such nonsense. I prefer to judge people based on who they ARE once I know them.

[hurple]

98. but...

they voted for an openly racist candidate who promised to implement openly racist policies if he were to win... ergo... every single person who voted for trump is a racist. full stop.

each. and. every. single. one. of. them.

If they don't like the connotation. Oh well. The shoe fits.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

103. If you honestly believe that and intend to keep calling white rural voters racists

Then you better get used to living in a radically right wing country because that kind of attitude with guarantee that Democrats never win again.

[adigal]

148. Your conclusion doesn't follow your statement

Calling them racists isn't going to make things worse. They are what they are. Maybe, if some are embarrassed by the term, they will think about their choices.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

153. So you are just trying to shame people by calling them racists falsely?

And what, exactly, do you think that is going to accomplish? Here's a clue about rural voters...trying to shame them by calling them racists when they are NOT is going to do one thing and one thing only...push them to vote for your opponent out of spite for being falsely accused of being racists.

[bravenak]

154. What is wrong with shaming racists for doing something racist?

[adigal]

172. My neighbors are rural and they are 90% racists. Nt

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

175. I've spent most of my life in rural New England and none of my neighbors were racists

Some areas do have more actual racists, but many areas don't. For that reason it's extremely bigoted to take on the attitude that all of a group are exactly the same. Isn't that the kind of thinking that Democrats are supposed to be champions AGAINST?

[adigal]

177. I think NE is different - many friends live in VT and they aren't racist

But upstate ny and Maine sure are.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

182. I grew up in Maine and the only racism I ever saw there was one or two idiots who were jealous of

Natives for free in state college tuition and land claims checks. My family didn't associate with anyone who thought like that, though, so if there was more of it I never saw it. I honestly didn't really see racism until I moved to the south. Since it was really never something I saw or that I was exposed to it was pretty shocking the way I often got treated as if I were racist for no other reason than I was white. I supposed due to how much more common it is in the south that minorities are more defensive and sort of expect it. I do think that actually can contribute to and perpetuate the cycle. If you are open and not racists in your views but you are treated as if you are without someone even knowing you then over time you may end up becoming more closed off. No one should assume anything about others and each person should be judged on who they are on the inside. It's so disheartening and sad to see some of the comments I'm seeing on here the last few days. I'm very close to leaving and saying to hell with voting. My heart was broken enough by seeing Trump elected and knowing the pain it has caused so many. And now it's breaking even more because many of those hurt are stereotyping and lumping all people together too. What's the point, really? I'm just not sure I even care anymore. I can only see the nastiness so much before I need to just check out for my own good.

[bravenak]

4. White voters that vote to deport millions of Arab Muslim Americans are in FACT racist

As are white voters who vote to build a wall between us and mexico because their candidate says mexicans are rapists. And if white voters find the same rhetoric that excites the KKK also excites them, they are in FACT RACIST.

Now I know there are good white folks whose first instinct is to protect their fellow white people from being seen as they are by the rest of us, ( us being, the group that got 2.5 million more votes) but It does nobody any good to pretend that voting to deport millions of muslims is not racist as fuck.

[TCJ70]

7. You have the wrong impression:

Now I know there are good white folks whose first instinct is to protect their fellow white people from being seen as they are by the rest of us

It's not about protecting all white people. It's about stopping unhelpful broad brushes. Racists are racists. Xenophobes are xenophobes. These are characteristics not limited to any race/gender/whatever else.

Are you cool with statements like:
Black people vote for Democrats because they like welfare.
Mexicans vote for Democrats because they just want a free ride in this country.
Muslims just want to destroy America.

Are there elements of that in those demographics? Probably. Just like there are racists and xenophobes in the white demographic. It's just not OK extend that to the entire demographic.

[bravenak]

10. Racists vote to deport millions of others. Period. You cannot fix that. Lying about it is not helpfu

It is not a broad brush to say, that candidate said he will deport millions based on race and religion, if that message was appealing enough to get your vote, you are racist.

[TCJ70]

14. I guess you just want to talk to yourself...

...since your reply has nothing to do with what I wrote.

It's impossible to know why anyone votes for a candidate without talking to them. I suppose it's just easier to pull out the labels, though.

Good luck with that.

[uponit7771]

123. I guess some people want to normalize the TOLERATION of racism and intimate its not just

... as bad.

Support of a bully doesn't mean a person is far from it.

Hey kids, support the racist cause that's ok... no... that's NOT ok

[TCJ70]

132. You're right. It's not OK...

...and off this board I've called out people I know who voted for Trump as enablers. It should be a mark of shame that anyone was comfortable putting their name down for Trump. That doesn't make them racists, though.

[brush]

9. Great response. Let's see what the poster or the OP has to say about a little truthful reality check

[bravenak]

11. Nothing to say and they know it.

They have been on this kick for a week or so

[lunasun]

101. But it seems a llike so so much longer

Remember the .....tea party etc. do not hate Obama because he is black, it's only his liberal policiies... DU wave that went on and on.....

[bravenak]

116. Yep. I remember.

Next we will hear how muslim and mexican are not really races so it's not racist.

[world wide wally]

114. Got a point there, Bravenak

Why do we have to be apologists fr assholes.
And yes, I've been broke and jobless. I just never felt compelled to vote for a lying psychopath.

[bravenak]

115. We do not owe them our dignity. We should not have to appease them just cause they be mad.

We are mad too. Broke too. We still are not turned on by chants of 'lock her up' or promises to start a muslim registry. We are better than them. Lets not pretend we are not.

[treestar]

6. Well they did vote for one if they voted Orange Toxin

I am amazed at all their tears at being thought one. And it is apparent it does not affect them, so they don't care. I like it when they beg us to stop calling them that. It shows they know deep down it's wrong. But they also deep down feel that white people are superior. They are embarrassed to admit it.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

23. I actually know people who did vote Trump and I know they are not racists

They were misguided, didn't pay close enough attention, made a terrible choice...all those things are true. They're not racists though and I can say that because I KNOW them. Hell, one of them has dated many black people and nearly married someone who was black. That person clearly is not racist. They voted for Trump because of jobs.

Trump is a racist POS, absolutely. Many racists voted for him. Not everyone who voted for him is a racist, though.

Hillary is a woman. Many women voted for her. Not all people who voted for her are women.

Obama is black. Many black people voted for him. Not all people who voted for him is black.

Bill Clinton is an adulterer. Many adulterers voted for him. Not all people who voted for him are adulterers.

Bernie Sanders is and old white guy. Many old white guys voted for him. Not all people who voted for him are old white guys.

George W. Bush used cocaine. Many people who voted for him have used cocaine. Not all people who voted for him have used cocaine.

See how that works? It's time to stop with calling millions of voters racists. It's just not factual.

[treestar]

24. Dating nonwhite people does not mean one is not a racist

Every right winger claims some black friend or points to Ben Carson and a few other crazies. They think that makes them immune.

And women can be misogynists. Clearly 53% of white women were fine with a misogynist in the oval office.

[pangaia]

41. What I would have said exactly....

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

53. Seeing as I know her and you don't, I KNOW that she is not a racist

Thank you very much. She's not a right winger at all. But hey...the truth does not fit with your narrative. What you are doing by lumping all people together is being just as bigoted as you are claiming others to be. How can you not see that?

What I'm seeing on this forum on this issue is so disturbing that it's leaving me with a very negative impression of this party. I've voted with Democrats for over 10 years now because the GOP got too radical. Now it's looking like the Democrats are getting more radical too.

I'm going to be left hoping someone like Rubio or Kasich runs against Trump or I'll end up staying the hell home if this shit continues. I won't be giving my white rural vote to a party who holds me and those like me in such low esteem. Is that the impression you all want to have on people like me? Do you not want my vote or support? That's sure what it sounds like.

[treestar]

58. oh you are talking about some specific person and

being offended on her behalf ?

I can't imagine anyone who was concerned about racism voting for that Orange Toxin. How can one not be at least somewhat racist and have found him acceptable as President? They all sound like they are protesting too much.

And you'd vote against your own interests because of it? This is not high school. I'm surprised at the claims. Oh you guys were mean and called us racist, so let's keep voting for Republicans because that'll show them!!

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

63. I'm an Independent and I have not voted for any Republican since McCain chose Palin as VP

Why? Because I DESPISE extremism. I can't stand it on the right and I can't stand it on the left.

I do not owe anyone my vote. I don't have to vote at all if I don't chose to. Hell, to far too many of those posting here just the fact that I'm white and rural means that I must be a racist. Or my elderly relatives who don't really pay attention but devote all of their time working to help the poor, including minorities must be racists. You want to insult me and people I care about and STILL feel entitled to dictate who I vote for? Think again.

[treestar]

64. You owe your vote to yourself

And if they are so insulted by the fact they voted for a racist Misogynist to inhabit the oval office being discussed, that is enough for you to vote against your own interests? That'll show us! It'll show you too, however.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

70. OK, so you feel entitled to my vote then?

Thanks for clarifying.

[JHan]

54. There's only so much deflecting you can do..

to ignore the fact Trump ran a xenophobic bigoted campaign.

We really shouldn't ignore the Elephant in the Room - it just took a crap and it smells. Someone should clean it up , not just spray febreeze.

[deurbano]

96. Geez. That's the first thing that came to mind for President Clinton?

Everyone I know who voted for Trump is racist. That includes people in my own family, so I know them well. They aren't blatantly racist, but if you are around them long enough, you get the picture. My white mother loves her Asian granddaughter (my daughter), but when we visited the USC hospital, she looked at the (mostly Asian) medical students in the cafeteria and said to another white woman (who had a British accent), "Where are OUR students?! Why didn't they make it into medical school?" My daughter was standing right there, but thankfully only 2-years-old at the time, so she missed the implication. People can have loved ones of a different race and still be racist.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

105. I come from rural New England

And in my 50 plus years I have not seen or heard any of my family members do or say anything even remotely racist. There were a couple who married into the family who I heard say one or two things and immediately took them to task for it. If any of us had of said anything racist my Mom would have popped us in the mouth so fast your head your spin.

Now I have also seen people say stupid and insensitive things without realizing they were being offensive. I've seen people being really nice, friendly and genuine to someone who is from a minority group and accidentally say something that was really offensive without meaning it to come across that way. That's why intent is so important. People can have a subconscious bias that is unintentional without holding any ill will.

[deurbano]

112. Very few people self-identify as racist or misogynist. A subconscious racial bias is still racism.

Yes, it's of a different type than the out and proud white supremacy in which some Trump supporters marinate, but it is still racism. My mom would never say the N word, and she can be friendly and genuine to people of different races, but she still thinks the United States should be a white and Christian nation and that changing demographics represent a steep decline in her vision of America. She hates Trump because he is a vulgar bully, but she voted for him because she is a Republican, and she is a Republican because she's a racist.

[AngryAmish]

170. It depends upon your definition of adultery.

[Bobbie Jo]

8. They voted FOR a racist.

Someone else said it best...

You may not be part of the crowd who did the lynching, but you sold them the rope and looked the other way.

(paraphrased, but you get the idea.)

That racism wasn't a deal breaker doesn't sit well with me.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

27. Perhaps they voted for the one that promised to bring back their jobs

Because they need to survive. When people are desperate and gave one side a chance and kept seeing that side fight to legalize recreational marijuana instead of safe drinking water or other help they desperately needed maybe they gave up on the other side.

Animals trapped have chewed off their own leg in order to get free and survive. Desperate people can do desperate things.

You need to step back and try to look at things from all sides to understand it.

And these threads popping up often are not only talking about Trump voters...they are just calling all rural people or white people or white rural blue collar people as racists, implying that even those who voted for Hillary and Obama are also racists.

I, for one, have had enough.

[pangaia]

45. Well, thety may have chewed off their own legs, but they also chewed off mine.

And the legs of millions of others as well.

You said,"Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have never been homeless."
Yes, that is true.
I am ALSO fortunate enough to have never been stupid !!

[Bobbie Jo]

68. Your last paragraph...

What???

Look, Obama brought us back from 9.5% unemployment and an economy that was in the toilet. This election wasn't about jobs, it was about hate. Hate won.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

71. To the rust belt it was about jobs

This is a very big country. National unemployment figures don't always represent the reality of different states and regions. To YOU it was about hate vs social justice. To many others it was about something else.

[Bobbie Jo]

74. "Something else"

That you can't seem to quantify.

People have short memories and don't understand (or care) that Republican policies put them in this mess to begin with. They'll see it again soon enough.

No, hate won the day.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

82. As long as Democrats refuse to look deeper they will ensure Trump wins again

I would prefer that not happen, which is why I started this thread.

[Bobbie Jo]

111. Suggesting that Democrats move to the right

to woo these bigots is a non-starter, AFAIC.

What is it exactly that you suggest? You haven't given any specifics other than "rust belt." Hillary was the ONLY one of the two that had anything specific to say about the poor and middle class.

WHAT is it? Spell it out, already.

[EffieBlack]

156. If this were REALLY about jobs, not race, the millions of black working folk living in the Rust Belt

would have also voted for Trump. They did not. Only the white people did.

This was about race, not jobs.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

159. That is because there is a stark difference in their experiences concerning racism

I am NOT saying there are no racists who voted for Trump because there are, which is why there is an uptick in hate crimes. What some are having a difficult time recognizing is that if a white person is not a racist and does not surround themselves with racists then they don't SEE it going on. If they are not the target of racism or surrounding themselves with people who are racists then they just don't even see it most of the time. They don't recognize those dog whistles because they are NOT racists. The people who pick up on those things are actual racists and targets of racism for the most part. The attacks on immigrants to those who have lost jobs is not about Mexicans to those people...it's about lost jobs that are going to Mexico or other countries. When Trump talked like Hitler junior towards muslims those people were thinking about terror attacks. Trump preyed on the fear of job loss and terrorism while slipping in dog whistles to also appeal to racists. Trump's targets for racist attacks

Trump voters are a lot of things...but they are NOT ALL RACISTS. Some ARE, but NOT all.

[uponit7771]

125. So they TOLERATE racism and somehow that's ok too? REALLY?!!?!

[dflprincess]

134. Fine, they're not racists

but of the few people I know who voted for Trump, not one has been able to explain to me why his bigotry wasn't a deal breaker. And not one of them is suffering economically so they can't use jobs as their excuse.

If I knew nothing else about Fat Bastard the Klan endorsing him would have been all I needed to know not to vote for him.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

142. Thank you...and I'm not saying none of them are actually racists

Some obviously are. Others voted for him over the economy. I'm sure some just voted for him because they like him on his TV show. Then I'm sure for others they are fed up with Washington and just wanted to blow it up and anger the other side. Most people don't follow politics anywhere near as closely as people here do. They may even have listened to people on the far left that have been attacking Hillary.

We have all got to do all we can to sort it out and make sure that orange asshole does NOT get a second term. We can't do that if we don't take a very honest and FAIR look at what happened. That can't happen if people are divided.

[dflprincess]

144. I didn't make myself clear

If an endorsement by the Klan isn't a deal breaker and his constant spewing of hate, misogyny, xenophobia, and homophobia isn't enough to turn a person away, that person may want to do some serious soul searching.

There is no excuse for voting for Fat Bastard.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

150. Not everyone even knows all of that stuff

You are assuming that everyone follows politics and the news as closely as people here do and they do NOT. I have seen a lot of people be genuinely shocked and not understand the fear and upset over Trump being elected. You're judging people based on the assumption that they are as informed as you are, and they probably are not.

[guillaumeb]

12. Agreed and recommended.

Anyone who simply says that the reason for Trump's Electoral victory is because white voters are racists is engaging in simplistic analysis. It is easy to point a finger and say THAT is the problem, but easy and simple are not always correct.

Clinton won the popular vote. Among those Clinton voters are undoubtedly millions of white voters, and among those white voters are probably a significant number of rural whites.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

30. Exactly!

One of those threads just says that "white voters" lost the election. Not Trump voters or racist voters...but just "white voters." Well, I'm a white voter and I voted for Clinton and Obama twice before her. I did my part and keep seeing these offensive threads popping up.

[guillaumeb]

38. I understand people are angry, and frightened, and apprehensive. I am also.

But I know a lot of white people who voted for Clinton. In Illinois, where I live, Clinton easily won. And Illinois is a very white state. 77.3% white if this link from the Census Bureau can be believed.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/17/accessible

So if white people as a group are to blame, how do we reconcile Obama winning two terms?

[Goblinmonger]

21. Well, look above for

examples of everyone who voted for Trump is a racist. So those exist.

Second, Bernie didn't say identity politics is horrible. Just that we need to do more than that if we want to win. He fully understands why identity politics is a thing and why it is needed. But if it worked, all women would have voted for Clinton and she would be president.

[Grey Lemercier]

29. my opinion is that if you voted for Trump you are/were a racist

The fucker ran as a racialist, with a million dog whistles, right out in the open. By voting for an open racist, that makes anyone who did that a racist, sorry, but my mind is damn well set on that. Maybe it is easy if a person is white and privileged to convince themselves they did it for other reasons, BUT, ffs, we had months on non stop racist attacks, videos, youtubes of Trump himself with his speeches, and so many of his wing nuts going full on nazi.

that shit doesn't come from a vacuum

[Dem2theMax]

141. Amen. nt.

nt.

[jack_krass]

161. Thats an old trick.

Just because some racists like Trump doesnt make all those who like him racist.

That guilt by association smear was tried often on Bernie supporters because sone groups line CPUSA supported him

[LanternWaste]

168. Consciously voting for a racist illustrates one as an enabler of racism... at best.

Consciously voting for a racist illustrates one as an enabler of racism... at best, regardless of your little tricks.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

35. Your thread title is a perfect example as you claimed that whites lost the election

You didn't differentiate at all.

[Grey Lemercier]

40. this isnt my OP, its yours

If you are talking about my OP, then you obviously either did not read the article, or misread the title (which was the title given by the author).

I absolutely did NOT say ALL whites are racists, not did the author. I FULLY fleshed out cogent replies all attacks upon the article in that thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512634533

Please stop putting words into my mouth.

[Dems to Win]

17. I agree with you, it's very unhelpful to portray so many of our fellow Americans as racist

Here are some articles I have found to be very thoughtful, that give me some comfort about continuing to live among all my fellow Americans.

Trump's deliberate flouting of Political Correctness served to distract Hillary from talking about jobs. (and boy, did she take the bait. Every Hillary ad that I saw focused on Trump's comments) His coarse statements didn't matter to Trump's voters, because they are focused on survival matters - jobs, jobs, jobs. (Of course, I don't believe Trump will actually bring back blue collar jobs to the Rust Belt). This article explains:
https://medium.com/@jesseleburke/how-trump-won-or-how-hillary-lost-aa6dfbcd4b8b#.rgkyne51l

Another: You Are Still Crying Wolf. Stop trying to convince Americans that all the other Americans hate them. Stop.Stop.Stop.
http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/11/16/you-are-still-crying-wolf/

The single greatest predictor of whether a person voted for Trump? Trump voters believe in the melting pot, not multiculturalism. 9 out of 10 Trump voters agree with this statement: “people living in the U.S. should follow American customs and learn English.” 1 in 4 Clinton voters also agree with the statement.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/opinion/presidential-small-ball.html?_r=0&mtrref=undefined&gwh=AC51910CB0EBA7A219D384DCDA05F15A&gwt=pay&assetType=opinion

I've long said that I'm a feminist, not a multiculturalist. I don't respect cultures that don't respect women. I fully agree with the progressive economic agenda, but I part ways on the idea that I should welcome seeing the melting pot culture I grew up in swept away, and I should welcome seeing burkas at my local mall, for example. No, I do not.

It's not healthy for America to have pockets of Taliban culture among free Americans of all colors and orientations. The father of the Orlando shooter was an immigrant, a Taliban sympathizer, who raised his US born son in Taliban culture, not American culture. 50 gay Americans died as a result.

I feel that Democrats and Americans seriously need to reevaluate multiculturalism. The 'emerging white minority' is now one more identity group in identity politics, and the result is white nationalism. As was predicted by this prescient article from 1999:
http://www.unz.com/article/california-and-the-end-of-white-america/

Trump is not going to solve the economic problems of desperate people. But people voted for a carnival barker because he at least respected them and their culture, imho. Democrats have to respect white rural hunting culture as much as they respect any other culture, if they want to have any chance to win.

[radius777]

33. Conservative white culture respects women and gays? lol

Trump voters believe in a melting pot? lol. Maybe a melting pot of various shades of white.

Dems need to respect rural whites? When has the GOP respected urban PoC ?

The alt-left needs to join up with the alt-right in the GOP and get it over with, you can then remake that party into one centered on white populist concerns, instead of trying to put PoC, gays, women, immigrants etc in the back of the bus.

[Dems to Win]

43. No one accepts being put in the back of the bus. Nor should they.

If whites feel the Democrats want them to sit in the back of the bus and contemplate their white privilege, many won't vote for our party.

Democrats can't accomplish anything if we continue losing.

[radius777]

59. Well, I agree some SJW types are too aggressive,

and I (as PoC male) think that has alienated many well-meaning whites (and males) from the Dem party.

Dems do need to try to reach out the more secular/non-religous working class whites, the types that Bill Clinton and Obama won over easily. Sexism did work against Hillary though, she did try to run an inclusive campaign, not a militant identity politics one as the alt-left would have us believe.

Rural conservatives are a lost cause, too culturally conservative, i.e. pro-gun, anti-gay etc FoxNews cultists.

[pangaia]

47. ". But people voted for a carnival barker because he at least respected them and their culture,

Bull shit he respects them.

He is a fucking liar and jerked their chain and used them for his own benefit..

They were too stupid to even see it.

[Dems to Win]

49. Of course he's a liar, he's a carnival barker who convinced them he respects them

poorly phrased by me, I agree

[pangaia]

51. Actually, I thought you were quoting one of the links..

If I knew it was your statement I might have been more... circumspect...

[LexVegas]

19. Most of the white people that voted for Trump are either racists, sexists, homophobes....

or all of the above.

And by most, I mean all.

[LenaBaby61]

37. LexVegas you forgot to say ...

That they could also just be plain DUMMIES as in dumb as a bag of rocks, and I feel sorry aligning those dummies who voted for tRump with bags of rocks which earn my sincerest apologies.

The dummies who voted for tRump get no apologies from me whatsoever.

[Starry Messenger]

140. Nothing to add.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

20. More white people voted for Hillary than all non-whites combined.

http://edition.cnn.com/election/results/exit-polls
White voters for Clinton = 71% * 37% = 26.3%
Non-white voters for Clinton = 29% * 74% = 21.5%

It's pretty silly for anyone to imply that ALL white people are racist or sexist, but most people on DU don't do that.

Most white people voted for Trump, though. Even white women voted for Trump more than Clinton.

It was pretty even between Clinton and Trump among white voters not "born again" or "evangelical Christians" since Trump won that group of white voters by a whopping 80% to 16% margin!!

CORRECTION: Not really even. Clinton beat Trump by over 5% among white people who didn't identify themselves as "born again" of "evangelicals" if the national exit polling percentages were accurate.

[Squinch]

22. If they voted for Trump, they are undeniably racist and sexist. Either they are

overtly racist and sexist or they have unexamined racism and sexism that they don't admit to themselves. But they are, nevertheless, racist and sexist. A vote for Trump is proof of that.

The rust belt people who you characterize as so DESPERATE are no more DESPERATE than poor people in any other area of the country. The same factors are at work everywhere: jobs lost to mechanization, unaffordable health care, education debt, inability to save for the future. And yet the people facing those same factors in other places didn't vote for a bigot and a sexist who was guaranteed to make their lives, and everyone else's lives, a living hell.

The same forces are at work in all the urban areas that DIDN'T vote for Trump, so that desperation and joblessness is not the explanation for why people voted for Trump. People in other areas saw through Trump and voted for the person who would help them.

So what is different about the people in the rust belt who voted for Trump? It is that they are racist and sexist, and were blinded by their racism and sexism, so much so that they handed the keys over to the person who very obviously will make their bad situation a hundred times worse.

They voted for Trump because they are racist and sexist.

And PS, I am white. It doesn't change the fact that all those white people who voted for Trump are racists and sexists. A vote for Trump is proof of racism and sexism.

[Branmerr]

26. Awesome post!

I am white and don't have much money. I still didn't vote for Trump!

[Squinch]

31. Thank you. I'm so sick of this shit of giving people a pass on voting for a racist asshole

because they are poor. Lots of people are just as poor. Lots of them didn't throw minorities, women, the elderly and anyone within nuclear range under the bus by voting for Trump and then tell us they did it because they are poor.

[pangaia]

48. Good work....

[Dems to Win]

55. The Rust Belt got their revenge for NAFTA, signed by Hillary's husband nt

[bravenak]

75. Negotiated by GHWB passed with a veto proof majority

[Squinch]

124. They got that revenge by beating themselves over the head with a sledgehammer. Dumbasses.

I wouldn't mind at all, except that sledgehammer is coming down on you and me next.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

117. Absofuckinglutely!

Of course, it's not just the racism. It's the whole package. In case anyone missed it, here's another bit of writing that will piss off people like the OP. Of course, there are other factors, but this is a big one. We cannot avoid acknowledging the truth because the truth will piss people off. We need to look at the truth and then figure out how to deal with it.

On Rural America: Understanding Isn’t The Problem

In deep-red white America, the white Christian God is king, figuratively and literally. Religious fundamentalism is what has shaped most of their belief systems. Systems built on a fundamentalist framework are not conducive to introspection, questioning, learning, change. When you have a belief system that is built on fundamentalism, it isn’t open to outside criticism, especially by anyone not a member of your tribe and in a position of power. The problem isn’t “coastal elites don’t understand rural Americans.” The problem is rural America doesn’t understand itself and will NEVER listen to anyone outside their bubble. It doesn’t matter how “understanding” you are, how well you listen, what language you use…if you are viewed as an outsider, your views are automatically discounted. I’ve had hundreds of discussions with rural white Americans and whenever I present them any information that contradicts their entrenched beliefs, no matter how sound, how unquestionable, how obvious, they WILL NOT even entertain the possibility it might be true. Their refusal is a result of the nature of their fundamentalist belief system and the fact I’m the enemy because I’m an educated liberal.

In deep-red white America, the white Christian God is king, figuratively and literally. Religious fundamentalism is what has shaped most of their belief systems. Systems built on a fundamentalist framework are not conducive to introspection, questioning, learning, change. When you have a belief system that is built on fundamentalism, it isn’t open to outside criticism, especially by anyone not a member of your tribe and in a position of power. The problem isn’t “coastal elites don’t understand rural Americans.” The problem is rural America doesn’t understand itself and will NEVER listen to anyone outside their bubble. It doesn’t matter how “understanding” you are, how well you listen, what language you use…if you are viewed as an outsider, your views are automatically discounted. I’ve had hundreds of discussions with rural white Americans and whenever I present them any information that contradicts their entrenched beliefs, no matter how sound, how unquestionable, how obvious, they WILL NOT even entertain the possibility it might be true. Their refusal is a result of the nature of their fundamentalist belief system and the fact I’m the enemy because I’m an educated liberal.

At some point during the discussion, “That’s your education talking,” will be said, derogatorily, as a general dismissal of everything I said. They truly believe this is a legitimate response because to them education is not to be trusted. Education is the enemy of fundamentalism because fundamentalism, by its very nature, is not built on facts.

The piece is in need of editing--it's longer than it needs to be and it's a little sloppy in other ways, as well. But, the main idea behind it is true and important. And spare me the "that's not true of every rural white..." It's true of a huge swath of them, and extends outside of the rural areas.

[Squinch]

122. "That's your education talking" as a derogatory observation.

This is what we've come to.

Fundamentalist Christians are a nasty, evil, un"Christian" bunch of hell-bound freaks.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

174. Yep, that damn education. I mean, apparently Trump has one, but

at least he had the decency not to show it!

[mountain grammy]

130. Hear hear!

What you said there!

[jack_krass]

162. Nope. No matter how many words you type you cannot make this true.

I know plenty of trump voters who are neither overt, covert, or any other type of racist. This includes some POC, who im pretty sure would take great offence at being called racist (presumably against their own race) for supporting a candidate.

[Squinch]

173. They voted for a racist. They put a racist in power, thereby supporting racism. They are racist.

Someone else here said it and I wish I knew who so I could give them the credit, but this is the truth: "You can't be the one who buys the rope and then say you had nothing to do with the hanging."

[jalan48]

25. Haters gonna hate.

[FiveGoodMen]

28. Everyone who voted for Trump was OK with putting an extreme racist in the White House

That's close enough in my book.

[mcar]

32. The people who voted for Trump voted

knowingly, for a racist, misogynistic sociopath. If they aren't racist themselves, they are racist enablers.

I have no sympathy for what is about to befall them.

[LenaBaby61]

34. At the very LEAST OP...

They aligned themselves WITH a racist, ignorant, sexually-assaulting, xenophobic, ignorant fool by voting for him so this must mean they co-sign with racism.

They voted for him KNOWING who this clown was.

[johnp3907]

36. I think this person's sign sums it up nicely:

And no, I'm not going to "STOP IT!!!!1!"

[muntrv]

39. Many counties that Obama won in 2012 and 2008 went to Trump.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2016/live-updates/general-election/real-time-updates-on-the-2016-election-voting-and-race-results/map-the-obama-voters-who-helped-trump-win/

[spooky3]

87. Many votes have been counted since Nov. 9, when

That map was prepared, and far more of them went to Clinton than to Trump. So that story is likely inaccurate.

See the Cook Political Report website.

[radius777]

42. The typical Trump voter is middle class,

iirc a median household income of around 70k.

Educated white men broke for Trump by a small margin, and educated white women only broke for Hillary by a small margin (meaning many voted for Trump.)

Obama/Dems saved the auto industry, so I don't entirely by the economic argument. If any region should've supported the Dems/H on economics, it should've been the midwest.

Most Trump voters have been voting GOP for a generation, i.e. Reagan Democrats who abandoned the party over civil rights/feminism/abortion etc.

We do need to reach out to white voters, but the more secular ones, who are less culturally conservative, the types that Bill Clinton and Obama were able to appeal to.

[blue cat]

44. Hello

I have lived in Texas all of my 52 years old. I'm telling you that I've heard the most vile racist shit coming from my white friends and co-workers all of my life, but it increased after Obama was elected.
So in my part of the world, it's all that I've seen. In fact, pretty much every last one of them has said racist things this election. Especially about BLM.

[blue cat]

46. So you stop it

Stop saying that a huge part of the white middle to upper class isn't racist because I've seen it up close and personal.

[saltpoint]

52. Of what are likely many factors

in the Trump vote, racism is certainly one.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

60. Yes, it is one...but not for all of those who voted for him

I'm just as pissed that the orange bastard got elected. Some of my own relatives voted for him and we have black, latino, LGBT and disabled family members. I know those relatives well and that they are not racist. Most of my relatives who voted for him are much older and some are from the rust belt rural areas. They don't really follow things really closely and voted based on the economy and jobs because Trump was the one they heard talking about it.

Trump is vile, we all agree on that. SOME of his supporters are absolutely disgusting, hateful and yes, deplorable. It's more than I realized existed, too...but it sure as hell is NOT all white voters.

These damn posts aren't even clarifying between Trump voters and Clinton voters in some of them. One just blamed white people for the loss and linked to some article.

I swear that I am so close from just saying screw it and stopping voting altogether. Moderate swing voters get attacked from both sides and it's getting old.

[saltpoint]

62. I believe that while there are likely many

factors involved, a major factor in Trump's supporters was racism outright.

The issue is not most/all here, IMO, but what motivates someone who knows Trump has made wildly bigoted and misogynist statements -- many overtly racist in nature -- to support his candidacy, to trust his judgment to choose judges and Cabinet members, etc.

It's deeply traitorous. It betrays the better angels of our nature. It imposes cruelty and limitation on those with less a voice than the people who pack Trump's board rooms.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

76. Try to imagine yourself in the position of rust belt voters for a minute

Let's say you have a family to take care of and you lost your job and you are competing with 50 other people for a minimum wage job at McDonalds that is not enough to pay your bills. Some of the people you are competing with have college degrees. This is a REALITY for many people. I had to leave a rural area for lack of jobs. One of the candidates doesn't even come to your area and the other one sounds just as pissed off as you are and they say they are going to bring back jobs and put an end to the trade deals that are killing the jobs. Yes, he is saying a lot of things you don't agree with and you aren't comfortable with but he came to listen.

That is pretty much what happened. If you have one candidate, as obnoxious as they are, speaking about what you NEED and one not saying anything and one has been smeared for over 20 years to look horrible then you are thinking you are voting for the lesser of the two evils. So they chose the one that at least talked like he would help the economy.

For the alt right supporters it was definitely about race, yes. But for many more it really was about the economy and jobs.

[saltpoint]

80. Well, I don't discount people

who suffer in economic hardship.

But that does not translate to voting for someone who uses ethnic and racial bigotry to advance himself.

Those same families you describe -- would they tolerate their junior or senior high school kids using language like that? Wouldn't have flown at my house, I'll tell you.

I don't think progressives are uniformly so well-off that economic hardship is unfamiliar. I think this white backlash is very significantly racist. Trump received their support because he instigated their antagonism toward people of color.

[FiveGoodMen]

84. Or suppose you're really upset because the trains aren't running on time

[lunasun]

136. Exactly !

[ismnotwasm]

56. I'm not implying it

I'm white and I'm outright saying it. White privilege, white fragility=racism

[apcalc]

57. Very well said

[TeamPooka]

65. Trump voters are either racist, sexist and xenophobic OR they are cool with public displays of

racism, sexism and xenophobia.
That was Trump whole campaign.
Either way, they all suck and can go fuck themselves the way they have fucked the country.

[Coventina]

69. Meh. Those who voted for a racist have to prove they are not, indeed, racist.

That's just the way it is.

[DemonGoddess]

73. You know what?

I've lived paycheck to paycheck for many years. Yes, I DO live in the rust belt. Guarantee you that plenty of people who voted for Trumpenstein while not being overtly racist, certainly have racist tendencies.

He lied about the jobs. He lied about everything. You have this "culture of celebrity" that for some reason seems to take over what common sense some people have.

Given that the racism factor is now out in the open, behaviorally, from other WHITE PEOPLE, you cannot say that racism did not play a large factor in this. It sure as hell did.

[mike_c]

77. I think many of the folks who feel most abandoned by government...

...happen to also be racists. The two conditions are not exclusive, and it isn't clear to me that racism and sexism were the only factors, or even the main factors that Trump rode to victory. I'm convinced the electorate wanted an outsider, not an establishment insider. That's not racism or sexism per se-- it's frustration with governance they see as making their lives worse, rather than better. Happy people don't normally vote to throw out the baby with the bathwater and to just blow the whole system apart.

[DemonGoddess]

79. This was overwhelmingly

a reaction to having a BLACK man in our highest office. This same group couldn't stomach the thought of a WOMAN doing the same. THAT, more than anything is what happened.

Yes, people DO throw out the baby with the bathwater, out of SPITE.

[TeacherB87]

78. I totally agree!

You can't start a conversation by calling someone racist even if they are. We need to engage people not cause them to retreat further into their delusions.

[uponit7771]

128. So excuse the toleration of racism as what? Just lie to them? REALLY?!

[TeacherB87]

143. I never said you have to tolerate racism.

I'm talking about starting a conversation by labelling someone as a racist. It's condescending and counterproductive EVEN IF YOU'RE RIGHT. Another important point here is that not all of these people are racist.

[pnwmom]

81. Every single one of Trump's voters chose to vote for a racist, misogynistic,

homophobic, Islamaphobic monster -- for whatever reason.

And his voters have a higher median income than Hillary's even though they largely come from less expensive areas of the country -- so their money goes further.

And a vote for Trump meant a vote against unions and against the safety net -- Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare.

So I don't buy this garbage about their being desperate to survive.

[Cryptoad]

91. if you vote for Bigot and Hate Monger ,,,

then you are a Bigot and a Hater Monger.

[IronLionZion]

83. Democrats didn't vote

that's the problem. There are more of us than them. Sure, in some cases there were new Jim Crow type laws and reduced polling places in urban areas in swing states to restrict voting. But in many cases, Dems just weren't motivated like they were in previous elections: 2006, 2008, 2012.

Blaming whites is as dumb as blaming anyone else. It's our own people and party leaders.

[Cryptoad]

93. almost 50%,,,

of eligible voters did care enough to vote,,, it runs much deeper than just "Democrats didnt vote"

[IronLionZion]

99. It is that simple

if turnout were higher among our people, we would have won.

[sweetloukillbot]

108. People talk about unmotivated Democrats...

I wonder if Trump motivated enough racists on the right who normally don't bother to vote to swing those states? The Constitution party types who don't bother because they hate Republicans just as much as they hate Democrats. Well, now they've got a Republican who is overtly speaking their language. They've got their Great White Hope. Was that enough to motivate 100,000 white supremacists who never would have voted for Rubio, Walker, Kasich, Romney, McCain, et al, to the polls?

[IronLionZion]

165. Why did we lose Senate seats?

Feingold in Wisconsin and McGinty in PA were ours to lose, and we lost.

[sweetloukillbot]

171. We didn't lose those seats - they were Republican already

[IronLionZion]

179. We should have won both of them

but our people didn't turn out to vote

[uponit7771]

129. HRC recieved just as many votes as Obama did... the "they didn't vote" meme ended on the

... recent count so far.

The "they didn't vote" in states that had voter suppression laws enacted is something the MSM doesnt' want to explore

[IronLionZion]

137. Just as many minus a few million from rust belt states

[uponit7771]

139. Nope... 100,000 between the 3 states she was projected to win ... voter suppression laws.

... could play a factor in that but coward ass'd pollsters don't want to speak up...

fuck them

[TwilightZone]

131. Clinton is on track to receive about as many votes as Obama received in 2012.

At the moment, she's fewer than one million votes behind and closing the gap.

The assertion that Dems didn't vote in similar numbers to 2012 is simply false. Nevertheless, it gets repeated on DU pretty much constantly.

[IronLionZion]

138. Not in the rust belt states we lost

the blue wall crumbled

[NRaleighLiberal]

85. I think that their election choices reflect accurately on how they really feel.

[MadamPresident]

86. Ignoring and excusing racism is no better than being a racist.

Last edited Wed Nov 30, 2016, 08:30 PM - Edit history (1)

And let's not kid ourselves. Voting for this man is the same as voting for racism, sexism, bullying and homophobia.

Sorry, but that's the truth. One cannot have overlooked all that if it really bothered them.

[uponit7771]

127. DING ... DING .... DING, tolerating racism is no better than being one !!

[KT2000]

88. OK - white voters who tolerate racism and racists.

sounds like a racist to me.

[Fresh_Start]

89. Fine ...not all trump voters are racists....but the ones that aren't, are delusional or ignorant

Delusional in believing the trump cares about them or that trump is going to drain the swamp in washington
Ignorant in not knowing what they are voting for....I especially LOVE the midwest voters who are saying trump will create infrastructure jobs while blaming the democratics for not having an infrastructure program...WHILE ignoring that the GOP blocked all the jobs bills.

[Cryptoad]

95. you can not vote for

a bigot and Hate Monger and not, by definition, be a Bigot and a Hater Monger. Everybody that voted for Trump is a Bigot and a Hater Monger.

[Bobbie Jo]

100. Thank you, well said. nt

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

109. Not delusional, more desperate, foolish, irresponsible for not educating themselves

And yes, even ignorant. You can fault Trump voters for many things, and I have done so myself. They NEVER should have voted for Trump and I'd like to give everyone who did vote for him a swift kick in the ass. They're just not all racists.

[uponit7771]

126. ... or tolerate racism and that's not good either

[Saviolo]

92. Let's call a spade a spade: TRUMP voters are racists

Because Trump's campaign was openly racist and they voted to put that in the white house. That means that their personal economic concerns were more important to them than already at-risk communities. That means that they felt like a poorly elucidated and nebulous plan to "bring back jobs" was more important than the idea of deporting millions of people or barring entry from "certain countries."

If that sounds racist, then yeah, that's racist.

While we're calling a spade a spade, let's stop calling them the "alt-right" and just say what they are. They are white nationalists, white supremacists, and neo-nazis.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

113. When you have no job and are on the verge of homelessness like many in the rust belt

you are ALSO at-risk.

When your own safety and security is at risk you are allowed to put yourself and your family first. It's your responsibility to your family, who depend on you to do so. And it does NOT mean that you don't care about the groups you mentioned. It just means that they put their children above strangers. I don't know many people who would not do what they believed was best for their children.

Trump is a vile, disgusting jackass. You know that, I know that...sadly, he was able to convince some people that he was going to really help them when they really need help, so they overlooked how disgusting he is out of desperation...at least that's what most of them did.

[hurple]

94. No!

Everybody who voted for the orange turnip is a racist. full stop.

Just like if you know someone has committed a murder and then hid them, you will be arrested for aiding and abetting, if you vote for a known racist who has promised to implement racist policies if he wins... you are racist.

full stop.

[appacom]

97. Toni Morrison said it best

Trump was elected by whites who fear the loss of white skin privilege. Stop making excuses.

[heaven05]

102. the rust belt voters

are racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic ameriKKKans. David Duke was NEVER disavowed by the POS POTUS in waiting. Besides being all the things mentioned, they are stupid and ignorant as well and my bet is 99% believed EVERYTHING about the new fuhrer and liked what they heard. That jobs BS will not wash and you and they know it. Because they are desperate to survive as many in the inner cities nationwide have been for generations when they were shut out of jobs and discriminated against in getting those rust belt jobs that the poor white rust belt voter lost because of the world economy business model and RepuliKKKan policies does not excuse their throwing everyone else under the fuhrers bus.. Evangelical KKKristians voted in great numbers, rural people, 99% again not PoC voted for the new fuhrer. Many rich people, who are laughing at those you defend, voted for the new fuhrer because HE WILL lower their taxes....I just don't believe anything you believe about these racist ameriKKKans that follow the new fuhrer and NEVER WILL.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

110. The definition of Bigot is...

: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices


If the shoe fits...

[heaven05]

118. Look in the mirror

I see the same coming from your oversized 'shoe'. I stand by EVERY OPINION, WORD ABOUT THE potus-in-waiting and his followers. I am intolerant of racists, sexist xenophobic, homophobic idiots which is 99.9% of the new fuhrers voting base. Go spew you RW MSM talking points at someone else. I have heard it all and it's BS. RACISM was a major driving force of bannon and the trumpfuhrers campaign. How can I be prejudiced towards racists? Been dealing with these type clowns all my life from my stone mountain georgia living days, in Vietnam and on the streets of ameriKKKa. You can tell me nothing of racism and who a racist is. They voted in huge, huge numbers for the new fuhrer and the New Nazi Party of AmeriKKKa aka the republiKKKan party.

[lunasun]

121. Ok thanks for letting us know some don't care what he said about other people . Deals with

Racist xenophobic sexist crazies are cool with folks out your way as long as they get thiers .
They saw or sat through his rallies not seeing anything wrong with what he said or his racists followers did as long as in the end it meant a better job for them.
Black, brown , gay lives do not matter to them.

Gotcha so they don't give a crap and sounds like republican ideals enough so they voted correctly for trump


Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[HassleCat]

133. Many of them are.

So all of them are. There! I've run circles round you, logic wise!

[MichMan]

135. Blaming this on white racism is way too simplistic

We need to learn on what happened or we are doomed to repeat it.


If one really believes that Trump winning the states of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania was primarily due to energizing white rural racists, how is it that President Obama won those same states in 2008 & 2012?

One would also have to believe that those same white racists were somehow more motivated to vote for Trump in 2016 than they were motivated to vote against a black candidate in 2008 & 2012. That doesn't make any sense if racism was the driving factor.

Trump appealed to upper Midwest voters for a variety of reasons and it is important that we understand what those are rather than just call them all uneducated stupid racist white men.

IMO, while some were motivated by racism, there were additional factors that were more important

1) Seldom does one party win three consecutive terms in the White House. This has happened only once in my lifetime; 1988

2) Clinton fatigue. We generally don't like dynasties in this country. Many people wanted the Clintons & Bushes to just go away. One major reason that Jeb had no chance and dropped out.

3) Hillary did not run a good campaign. Sure the RW media & Comey framed the narrative, but she certainly didn't do herself any favors either, with how the email issue was handled on her side. The poll numbers regarding her truthfulness with voters were a telling indicator that even running against someone as deficient as Trump was closer than it should have been. The campaign didn't nearly spend enough effort on why we should vote for her rather than against him. Bill and Barack were overflowing with charisma, Hillary and Al Gore were not; maybe that shouldn't be important, but it is.

4) It may have been bullshit, but "Making America Great Again" was a compelling slogan. That slogan may have had different meanings to everyone, but who wouldn't want to make America great?

[NRQ891]

152. Comey's actions may have been questionable, but Anthony Weiner handed it to him

a bad scandal from someone so close to the candidate is just murphy's law

it's arguable that in the close election of 2000, the business of Monica didn't help either

shouldnt affect elections, but it does - these things always have - doesnt matter what party - it took mark foley and larry craig down too

[Starry Messenger]

145. The polls say otherwise.

The biggest concern for the Trump voter this election cycle was terror and immigration. Sorry.

[kwassa]

149. I have worked in rust belt blue collar jobs, and agree somewhat ..... but

.... racism is part of the mix, while not being the dominate part.

These white working class voters are voting in what they perceive as their self interest. They are ambivalent about race, and can, in fact, be racist, but that is not the source of their motivation. They just want to be paid.

I worked a summer job in US Steel's second largest plant in the early 70s. Lorain, Ohio. I've worked in other factories and blue collar occupations as well. Many of the steel workers were white guys of east European background. We also had in this plant the largest Puerto Rican population in the US outside of NYC. There were also quite a few African American employees. All union steel workers. 7000 jobs. Most were lost in the mid 80's, but globalization is many decades old history, not the result of NAFTA.

The US auto industry peaked in the early '50s, and slid in numbers ever since, slowly. The turning point was when Packard went out of business ..... anyone remember Packard?

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

155. There are some racists, I'm sure...but people are saying ALL, and that is NOT true

And it's extremely bigoted for people to call all of them racist. It's wrong.

[kwassa]

157. Racism is not their motivation. Self-interest is.

Self-interest is the source of most people's beliefs.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

160. Agreed...they were fed a lie and bought it

Because they are desperate.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

163. Most of my friends are women....

And most of them tell me most men are assholes.

And most of those men are white.

It doesn't mean most white men are assholes.

But enough to where the women I know keep finding them.

[akbacchus_BC]

164. I agree with you to a certain point. You know that Trump brought out all the racists

during his campaign for his own gain. Look at his treasury and commerce picks, those two people who created the housing meltdown are now on board. Trump is not for poor people, they will be screwed over once again.

Trump does not give a shit about poor people and that is the reality!

[LanternWaste]

167. Try not to confuse "imply" and "infer."

Try not to confuse "imply" and "infer." Also, it's somewhat ironic you being with the demand to stop calling people racists, yet end up calling anyone who disagrees with your premise a bigot.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

176. For several days there have been threads calling all of certain groups of white voters racists

I don't have a problem with pointing out individual racists or even saying some of a group are racists. My problem is when people are calling ALL people of a group racists because that is false and hypocritical. If you call all of a group racist then you are being a bigot because you are not basing your opinion on truth and reality.

[Chitown Kev]

169. Highly offensive?

?1478013833

That presidential endorsement was and is highly offensive...maybe not to you.

[BigDemVoter]

181. "implying"?

No. Those who voted for tRump, ARE racist. That's what he did. That's what his campaign was all about--insinuations, suggestions, hints. And the White working class just lapped it up-- just like the Germans did back in 1933. Oh, but they weren't anti-semitic either. . . .

[baldguy]

183. Well, if they supported the candidate of the Nazis & The KKK ....

Shoe fits.

[kentuck]

184. Perhaps it is more accurate to say they were "suckers"...

that fell for the message of exclusion and division. It was not about economic conditions as it was about hatred and division in a propaganda campaign that that was deeply divisive, and which has made no attempt to unite our nation.