Since Donald Trump won the American presidential election, the general population has been left in a state of chaos. From flag burning to rioting in the streets, a section of the American people could not be more opposed to their newly decided president. Unfortunately, those that support him also agree with his racist and xenophobic perspective on minorities, and more specifically how they should be treated. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were 437 reports of harassment within the first week of his presidency. These reports mainly describe the threats as directed toward minorities such as people of colour, Muslims, immigrants, and the LGBT community.
Donald Trump’s win has allowed those who may have shared the same perspective and beliefs as him to feel comfortable expressing themselves, and as a result, both physical and verbal hate crimes are becoming a regular occurrence.
This drastic spike in hate crimes has been impacting an array of age groups, even children in elementary schools. A woman in Colorado reported that her 12-year-old daughter was verbally harassed by a boy who said, “Now that Trump is President, I’m going to shoot you and all the blacks I can find.” Another incident in a school in Washington State described students chanting “build a wall” in a cafeteria.
Places of business have also been targeted as prime locations for hate crimes. A Muslim woman shopping in Walmart was victimized for wearing the hijab, a traditional Muslim head garment. The woman had her hijab torn off her head and was subjected to verbal abuse as her oppressor proclaimed, “This is not allowed anymore, so go hang yourself with it around your neck not your head.”
Certain Americans are taking their discriminatory views to social media. Things like #gobacktoafrica and #whiteamerica are becoming more common among those participating in these acts of hate.
The assaults don’t stop at verbal: vandalism has also been a big aspect of the hate crimes spreading across the States. The graffiti includes phrases such as “no more illegals 1-20-17”, a reference to Inauguration Day. Swastikas and “Go Trump” have also been spray painted in numerous locations, including playgrounds. A transgender woman protesting Trump’s presidency by writing “love trumps hate” and #notmypresident on her car has noticed that it had been painted over with swastikas and the word “die”. “Make America white again” and “heil Trump” graffiti have also been reported on multiple occasions.
In reply to theses hate crimes, the President-elect, on an interview on CBS, ironically said that he was saddened to hear about his supporters instigating harassment towards minorities and that, “If it helps, I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: stop it.”
However, it is not just Trump supporters initiating the assaults: a man in Chicago was beaten as someone yelled “You voted Trump!” Men in Connecticut were also arrested for allegedly assaulting a Trump supporter. The United Sates is in turmoil from hate fostered by the Trump campaign, and now his upcoming presidency.
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