By the Community Alliance
(Editor’s note: During a speech at the launching of his bid for the U.S. presidency, Donald Trump made derogatory statements toward the Mexican migrant community. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people,” Trump said.
His remarks were not taken lightly, causing Macy’s and NBC (to name a few) to sever ties with Trump. In addition, many activists in the community are upset and concerned with Trump’s statements, considering them ignorant and irresponsible. The Community Alliance asked Jesse C. Gonzales, CEO of Central Valley Pintos and the South Valley Active Communities Coalition, and Juan R. Avitia, state/national president of the Mexican-American Political Association (MAPA), what their thoughts were and this is what they had to say.)
“Trump the ‘Super’ Chump”
“By definition a chump is a person who is foolish and easily deceived. The recent comments made by Donald Trump in reference to the Latino/Hispanic population being ‘rapists, drug addicts, convicts’ and the like places Trump in a new category: Super Chump!
“Super Chump is fooling nobody but himself if he believes that there will be no political or financial repercussions over his remarks. The people at NBC, Macy’s and other such businesses that once associated themselves with him have dropped Super Chump like a toilet seat, and it just so happens that is the most appropriate place for him.
“Those executives were wise to quickly put long distance between them and him. They recognize and appreciate that the buying power of the Latino/ Hispanic population is keeping them in business. It is projected that the Latino/ Hispanic community’s purchasing power will top $1.5 trillion in 2015 and will increase by a phenomenal and unprecedented 48% by 2016 (George Washington University, 2014).
“The Super Chump deceives himself and any who would listen when he claims that Latinos/Hispanics are ‘lazy.’ The new Latinos and Hispanics are being driven by ‘Saber es Poder’ (Knowledge is Power). For the first time among recent high school graduates, a greater proportion of Latino/Hispanics enrolled in colleges and universities than Whites (George Washington University, 2012).
“At this writing, there are arguably 2.1 million undocumented students in the United States potentially eligible for the recently proposed federal DREAM Act (S. 729 in the 111th Congress). Much has been said about the $500 million cost to the American taxpayers if the education for these students is financed to a BA degree. However, what is not being discussed is that through their working life, these students will earn between $1.4 trillion and $3.6 trillion (UCLA North American Integration and Development Center, 2010).
“As for the Super Chump’s argument on the immigration issue, he would be the one to talk about the subject since he wasn’t born in this country and is an immigrant himself.
“All people of color, and White people of sound moral conscience, should actively support the national and soon international boycott against Donald “Super Chump” Trump, his affiliates, agents and any supporting businesses.”
—Jesse C. Gonzales
“Boycott All Republican Party Candidates in 2016”
“I am concerned that Donald Trump’s continued racist attacks on Mexicans will go from a rich, White male, joking about how he feels about ‘illegal immigrants’ to actual violence by someone like Dylan Roof, the racist man who killed nine Black people in a South Carolina church this summer. Although verbal and physical attacks on immigrant communities are not new, I fear it’s only a matter of time before someone takes it to a brutal and violent level. It is due to this potential for violence that I call for a boycott of all Republican Party candidates in 2016.
“I am not a Democrat and, as a matter of fact, I’m a registered Independent. Yet history has shown us that when politicians such as Trump and leaders of political parties verbally attack people of color, the violence that follows can be shocking. From the KKK (led by Democrats) hunting down and lynching Black people in the south to the massacre of Mexicans at a McDonald’s in San Ysidro by a White man who was angry at immigrants and their children living in the United States, each was fueled by hate originating with political parties. Today, all it takes is for someone to go online and see the Trump rhetoric and be inspired to attack and thus, similar to what many Germans did when they heard Hitler scapegoat Jews as the cause of Germany’s problems, Mexicans will become the target of angry people.
“In closing, we cannot sit idly by as an entire race of people is demonized and mocked by a selfish opportunist who does this only to further his interest. I will call for a flat-out boycott of Republicans who run in 2016. This is not to say that Democrats and the Green Party, for example, are our only choice, but it serves to send a message to a political party that has remained silent while a bigot verbally attacks us that the ‘ballot’ will be our response. The other option is the ‘bullet,’ as Malcolm X famously suggested—an option we hope to never have to consider should the attacks turn violent.”
—Juan R. Avitia
The 2016 Presidential election is already proving to be highly controversial and interesting, and we want to hear your thoughts about it. Send thoughts, comments and articles to editor@fresnoalliance.com.
