Most Americans Say Trump’s Election Has Led to Worse Race Relations in the U.S.

Most Americans Say Trump’s Election Has Led to Worse Race Relations in the U.S.

BY LISETTE GUSHINIERE

Once again, racism has reared its ugly head. Earlier in May, the tv sit-com “Roseanne” was abruptly canceled by ABC after the show’s star and co-creator Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet. The tweet was directed at former President Barack Obama’s Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, an African American woman who served throughout Obama’s presidency.

Barr’s remark, which caused a Twitter storm read, if the “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” Barr later apologized blaming her actions on the sleep aid Ambien, but a company spokesperson for the drug later noted that, “while all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect,” of any of the company’s medications.

So, if Ambien’s not a side effect or the cause of Barr’s racist behavior, could it be ‘The Trump Effect?” instead?

While comments like Barr’s aren’t anything new, where do Americans currently stand on the issue of race and does it matter who’s sitting in the Oval Office? A national survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2017 indicates that in fact, it does make a difference.

The study, conducted between Nov. 29 - Dec. 2017, revealed that most Americans have a definite opinion. Gathering evidence on how they view racial relations under Trump verses under Obama, the results reveal stark differences between the two.

Nearly a year into Donald Trump’s presidency, a majority of Americans (60%) said his election has led to worse race relations in the United States. Just 8% said Trump’s election has led to better race relations, while 30% say it has not made a difference.

In 2008, according to the Center, voters were more optimistic about how Obama’s election would affect race relations than they were after President Trump’s victory.

In November 2008, 52% said Obama’s election would lead to better race relations in the country. A year later, fewer Americans (36%) said race relations had improved, but only 13% said Obama’s election had made race relations worse. That was little changed from November 2008, when 9% of voters said Obama’s election would lead to worse race relations.

Not only does the study show a difference in how Americans view race relations under the former and current president, it offers insight on where we are headed.

Among the 1,503 adults surveyed in 2017 since Trump has been president, the majority (56%) said race relations are generally bad, while 38% say they are generally good.

Since May 2016, there has been an increase in the share of Americans who say race relations are getting worse – from 38% then to 44% today.

But the tone of the country is set at the top and Americans have transitioned from, ‘No Drama Obama’ to a Trump presidency resembling episodes played out on a reality tv show.

If the argument is that Trump’s highly charged rhetoric hasn’t made race relations worse, it certainly hasn’t made it better. From Trump saying publicly, ‘Look at my African American over there...’ referring to a black man whom he said “slugged” an alleged Klu Klux Klansman at one of Trump’s rallies to associating Mexicans with rapists, his comments have been just as disparaging as Barr’s. Many people were offended by Trump referring to the black man as “my African American” although the black male who Trump said came out to support him wasn’t offended at all. And who can forget Trump defending a group of white nationalist protesters after the melee in central Virginia, which ended in the death of one woman and injuries to dozens of others saying there were, “some very fine people on both sides?”

But let’s not get it confused, the bigotry and prejudice displayed by people like Barr and Trump aren’t the first acts of prejudice we’ve seen. The violent nature of both racist speech and hateful acts have long been a part of America’s shameful history. At the same time, the behavior displayed by people like Trump and Barr continues to polarize us all.

Fortunately, Barr’s actions were met by a swift response from ABC. The only difference is Barr is not the leader of the free world. Likewise, when Trump makes statements like those made in the past, his behavior should be denounced as swiftly as Barr’s. And members of his own party should speak out, who for the most part have been silent.

As president, Trump represents all Americans of every background regardless of color, class or creed. An “American First” philosophy is therefore exclusionary in nature and must be rejected since it fails to embrace the universal characteristics of our democracy.

The reality must also set in that the United States, first occupied by the Native Americans, has evolved into a different place. Today, it is a melting pot comprised of people who’s ancestors, including Trump’s, were immigrants who by choice or by force arrived in America.

To top off a diminished perception as to how Americans perceive race relations today, a 2018 Ipsos Poll Conducted for Reuters reported that despite low unemployment numbers, only about one-third of Americans say the country is headed in the right direction, compared with 52 percent who say it’s on the wrong track.

Unless Trump and his allies who’ve tried to paint a rosy picture of the economy can match up their rhetoric with reality, a victory for Republicans during the midterms might not be as easily won. Coupled with his constant swirl of controversy, chaos and divisiveness, in November, Trump may have to eat his words; and members of his party who have failed to denounce his bigotry, may be joining him for the last supper at the table.

Lisette Gushiniere is an Editorial Consultant and Contributing Writer for the Citizen.

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