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100
2 votes
Sep 28, 2015

It's hard to tell without knowing the man directly, so answering the question actually shows as much about our assumptions about how to define and imagine racism as anything else.

My read of the man is this: He is a narcissist. He is only concerned about attention. Positive or negative, it doesn't matter. He will take hatred and scorn.

He probably does have a lot of subconscious biases. These are aided by the privileged life that he lives that makes it very easy to never have to question his interactions with others. I think a lot of his anger is something he might honestly feel at that moment.

But anyone who knows a narcissist knows that they don't really believe anything. They may think they have convictions the same way that someone who refuses to check their bank account thinks it's probably okay: Some part of them, deep down, knows that they don't.

The interview he had with Stephen Colbert shows a lot of this reality. When Colbert just treated him with respect and didn't give him the chance to turn up his circus, everything seemed half-hearted. He was saying the same things but he was saying them to an attentive, nodding face. He was having to face the emptiness he feels inside.

The problem is that Trump's behavior speaks to people who have much more actual hate. He's letting anyone with a grudge find a new way of yelling about it.

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-2
2 votes
Jul 1, 2016

His politics, his decision , his behaviour to other nations are proving that!

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0
User voted Yes.
0 votes
Sep 27, 2015

Everyone, regardless whether they admit it or not, has bigotry in them.

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0
main reply
0 votes,
Feb 4, 2016

Not everyone is running for office.

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0
opinion
0 votes
Oct 28, 2015

I've never heard him mention anyone's race.

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100
main reply
1 vote,
Feb 4, 2016

He routinely talks about "the blacks" in ways that are flatly, directly racist.

Trump has retweeted racist statistics, which directly mention race, from a bureau that doesn't exist that ultimately was revealed to have come from a neo-Nazi source.

He has implied that the majority of Mexican immigrants are rapists or otherwise criminals, and only some are "okay". He has also implied that Obama is responsible for dealing with "thugs" in Baltimore.

He originated the birther idea, which flatly refers to the President's race and nationality.

No one reasonable could take the idea that he wants to ban Muslims as being anything but a racist idea, considering that he doesn't seem to hold groups like white American fundamentalists collectively responsible for the actions of some.

Trump has done everything but directly court white supremacists.

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0
opinion
0 votes
Nov 5, 2015

No. He hates illegal immigrants. Not all Mexicans are illegal immigrants, and not all illegal immigrants are Mexican. Although most are, it doesn't make him racist.

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0
main reply
0 votes,
Feb 4, 2016
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