Donald Trump, a presidential candidate misinforming about the president possibly being Muslim is a problem
Many on the Right have been blaming the President for the seeming escalation in prejudice and intolerance during his administration. Of course that is false. There was an organized effort underway from the inception of Barack Obama’s presidency.
Donald Trump and many others continue to toe the line by implying the illegitimacy of this President, always with some option to imply that is not what they are doing. The following exchange with Chuck Todd on Meet the Press is probative.
When Chuck Todd referred to the incident of intolerance at his recent event where a supporter disparaged Muslims with no pushback from Trump, he said the following.
“Well I feel strongly, the Muslims are excellent,” Donald Trump said. “I know so many Muslims that are such fabulous people. But there is a problem. There is no question about it. And you know we can be politically correct and we can say there is no problem whatsoever. But the fact is there is a problem with some. And it is a very severe problem. It is a problem that’s taken place all over the world. …”
The reality there are a lot of problems with terrorists of all stripes. Most terrorism in America is homegrown and non-Muslim. If we minded our own business, few would want to inflict any harm on us. The reality is the average American citizen is paying for the sins of wealthy plutocrats who pilfer overseas in our name as we as a nation take the blow back.
Chuck Todd then tried to test Donald Trump’s real feelings about Muslims by asking him if he would support or be comfortable with a Muslim president. Trump’s answer was rather telling and is one that gives Right Wing misinformed ideologues plausibility to many.
“Um, I can say that you know it’s something that at some point could happen,” Donald Trump said. “We’ll see. You know it’s something that could happen. Would I be comfortable. I don’t know if we have to address it right now. But I think it is certainly something that could happen. … Some people have said it has already happened, frankly. Of course you wouldn’t agree with that.”
If ‘leaders’ are being this irresponsible, can one put all the blame on the gullible? No. We must be out there correcting the every lie and misinformation spouted by ideologues.