Posted on 03/04/2016 6:14:44 PM PST by pilgrim
Here’s the hard truth — it’s time our generation collectively pulls our heads out of our asses and pays attention to something other than Internet memes, reality television, and cell phone selfies. We need to talk about politics and we need to do it now.
If you are a liberal and the United States presidential race on the Republican side hasn’t scared you thus far, then either you haven’t been paying attention or you don’t understand the significance of what is currently happening.
As of now, it’s clear that Donald Trump is going to get the Republican Party’s nomination. Although that notion is not entirely surprising, it shocks me to see how few young Americans want to actively engage, talk about, and understand American politics as this particular situation unravels. I’m talking about Millennials chanting for Bernie Sanders, when many don’t understand most of his policies or what it means to identify as a self proclaimed “socialist.” I’m talking about the tens of thousands of young Americans who are fighting to change a system like big banking and Wall Street when they don’t want to take the time to educate themselves on why or how it’s broken. I’m talking about the fact that we, as Millennials, more than any other generation before, have the immediate means to educate ourselves on any topic in the world because of the Internet, yet we frequently get lost in insignificant information that’s trending.
When I say that I’m shocked by the lack of engagement by Millennials, the situation I’m referring to is the rise of Donald Trump. Trust me, you should care about this more than taking a moment to like a politician’s Facebook page.
Let’s collectively recognize for a moment that Trump has received more widespread support while running on one of the most politically conservative platforms since George Wallace ran as an American Independent in 1968 against Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. If you don’t know who George Wallace is, he is the former Governor of Alabama that famously went against the President and the United States Supreme Court in an attempt to keep schools segregated. The intense political standoff became so hostile that Governor Wallace ordered state troopers to prevent black students from entering schools throughout his state. President Kennedy federalized the National Guard and ordered the soldiers protect black students as they entered the school. This situation became one of the most controversial state versus federal stand offs in United States history.
Long story short, Wallace ran for president as an Independent and garnered a whopping 13.5 percent of the national vote, clearly indicating that a strain of racist American ideology still existed in much of the country at the time, and has continued as is indicated by Trump’s popularity.
Why has Trump resurrected this dark American ideology? The first reason: Millennials continue to neglect the importance of actively participating in politics at every level. Although one could make a compelling argument that Trump would have still received the endorsement from the Republican Party, I argue that if more individuals actively spoke out against the candidate he would have never garnered so much support. The second reason: the Republican race indicates that the same racist strain that got George Wallace his 13 percent is still very much alive and is manifesting in Trump’s popularity.
I understand that Donald Trump has qualities that appeal to a number of voters. Trump is loud. He speaks his opinion and doesn’t apologize for it. These are desirable characteristics when the U.S. political system seems to continually favor what much of the public perceives to be inauthentic, but it’s important to recognize that Trump is the least authentic candidate of all the candidates that have held the stage in this election season.
First and foremost, Trump doesn’t care about the office of the President. He doesn’t care about the American public. He doesn’t care about anything other than Trump. Many already know this, but it’s important to point out that Trump loves Trump over all else. He loves what the presidential race can do for his brand. It’s as simple as that. I know this because Trump is a family friend, but regardless of his home visits, one can understand this after three minutes of watching him.
First and foremost, Trump doesn’t care about the office of the Presidency. He doesn’t care about the American public. He doesn’t care about anything other than Trump.
Not my view but his! Cooper Hefner
He pushes immigration!!!
A LIBERAL's perspective!!! (cfeo)
And Hillary cares only about Hillary.
He’s Hugh Hefner’s son. I guess Hugh wasn’t big into condoms!
” and segregation between blacks and whites.”
Actually it’s the leftist blacks in YOUR generation that are bring that back.
Not Trump.
Moron.
Yeah, Unlike the current crop in DC /s
Hugh shot better shots at a basket.
Getty image here.
Who was his ‘baby momma’?
Yes, what is the “family friend” business? There does not appear to be any explanation of it.
The problem with all these liberals and establishment cronies telling us how bad Trump is is that they are the alternative, and they have been in charge for years, and they are WORSE than whatever they call Trump
They have lied to us for decades, and now they are going to bad-mouth Trump?
The more they whine and complain, the more I like Trump.
He looks a little light in the loafers to me.
Trump---DEAL WITH IT!
May I ask where that is in my post??
Why click on it if you think that?
Family affair: Cooper Hefner posed alongside his stepmother Crystal Harris, who is 5 years his senior, as the
pair toasted to the 2013 Playboy Playmate of the Year in Hollywood Hills on Thursday
A deluded son of a perverted man. No wonder they gravitate towards the dark side.
Cooper Hefner sez: Raciss JewHater Trump is gonna imprison his grandkids and arrest his spokespeople!
I just heard the exact opposite from an acquaintance down here in Florida who knows Trump.
They said Donald Trump is very amiable, kind and overall a very decent person...
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