I live in the city of Philadelphia. Over the past weekend, I took a walk in my neighborhood park. As I was walking, I was amazed by the vast diversity of the people I saw. I entered the park and saw two Black Muslim women (in full dress) packing up their picnic supplies. I walked further in and I saw a group of young men playing basketball - some Black, some Asian, and some White. I then came upon two Black men leading children of various racial and ethnic backgrounds around on horses. I walked a bit more to find a group of Middle Eastern men smoking pipes and watching a large group of Nigerian men playing soccer down the hill. As I kept walking, I saw a stage with a band - some White men and women dressed in suits and dresses and playing music for all to hear. Those listening represented the diversity that we boast in the United States. Then, I ran into two lesbian couples pushing their children in strollers. As I rounded out my walk, I was greeted by a large group of Asian American students having a cookout. Interestingly the park was lined with food trucks that demonstrate the diversity of the community, serving falafel, hoagies, Korean barbeque, water ice, bubble tea, and ice cream. Everyone in the park was getting along and smiling. Children were laughing and playing together. Their differences were operating in harmony rather than offending.
Mr. Trump, this is the world that we live in. Although not every community is as diverse as the one that I choose to live in, overall as a country, we are this diverse. We represent immense diversity across race, ethnicity, sexuality, socio-economic status, gender, religion, ability, country of origin and many other identities. Instead of appreciating this diversity and embracing it as what makes the United States great and deeply unique, you have chosen to use your national platform to bait low-income and middle class Whites. You are igniting their fears by telling them that darker- skinned immigrants will take their jobs, assault them, and take away their resources - those resources that 'they work hard for and deserve'. Instead of embracing the differences in our nation as strengths, you are pitting people against each other based on religion, race and gender. You are capitalizing on their fears.
Now Mr. Trump, you may want to come at me with commentary about my being a liberal professor at an Ivy League institution - the same one at which you earned your degree. However, I grew up intensely poor in the Midwest with parents who had very little education and worked several low-paying jobs to support their children. My parents could never get ahead despite working very very hard. Regardless, if my father were alive today, he would have bought into your rhetoric of hate. He was unhappy with his life, angry about his lack of opportunity, and continually looking for someone to blame. Rather than telling him the truth - that wealth begets wealth and education begets education - that the playing field is not even remotely even for most U.S. citizens - that a helping hand from a mentor or teacher, from a government or community based program, from a Pell Grant, or a Head Start program can make the difference in terms of success - you would have stoked the embers of his fears. My father attributed his own lack of success to the opportunities afforded to others, especially African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities. His fears turned to hate and racism. You are stoking these embers across the nation in people just like my father. My father feared people of different races, religions, sexualities, and new immigrants. It wasn't until he was very old and sick that he admitted to me why he harbored this hate - in his words, "he needed a scapegoat" for his failing to reach the 'American dream.'
Mr. Trump, you have lived a cosmopolitan life in which you have interacted with people from all backgrounds and rather than using these experiences to help people understand each other and come together to strengthen the nation and make it more embracing of differences, you are baiting fears. You are using your wealth to sell people the 'American dream' - a dream that is unrealistic and unattainable without strong public schools, well-developed community programs for children, extensive college affordability programs, available healthcare, and jobs that pay a living wage. The obsession with the 'American dream' hurts so many people as the only way to better oneself and family when firmly lodged in poverty is to support programs that provide a hand up and opportunity. Feeding people the false premise that they will become wealthy and successful if immigrants, as well as racial and ethnic, and religious minorities are denied opportunity, pushed to the side, and mocked, is dangerous and deeply racist.
Mr. Trump, when you are confronted on your behavior, rather than reflecting and considering that you might be baiting society in extremely dangerous ways, you lash out - calling people names and hurling insults. Many people don't understand this behavior from a politician while others give you credit for 'keeping it real' and being authentic. When I listen to you, I think of one person - my father. My father was insecure and angry. He constantly looked for others to blame. If he disagreed with you, he hurled racist, sexist and other derogatory comments your way. I wonder what causes your insecurities? In this presidential race, I think it's your lack of knowledge on any substantive issues. Rather than answer, it's easier to say something sensational and to spit out insults. The crowds think it's authentic and it feeds their own desires to blame others.
Lastly, Mr. Trump, please know that your bullying behavior is taking flight and causing incivility across the nation - an incivility that will hurt us all greatly. I don't worry about your becoming president as the demographics of our nation are against you. Given how you have alienated women, Latinos, Asians, Blacks, immigrants, and many others, it is not possible for you to be elected. One needs the majority of all of these groups and you won't achieve those numbers. What I do worry about is the damage and fall out from your irresponsible behavior after you move on to the next venture in your life, leaving some very angry and disillusioned people behind to take out their frustrations on their neighbors - especially those neighbors that they deem different from themselves. You can afford to walk away from the disaster of your presidential run but your supporters are not that fortunate. They will be left in the dust of hate that you stirred up.