Trump is a racist; supporters, what's your excuse?

By Kathleen Parker

The Associated Press

Going out on a limb here: Donald Trump is a racist. And a sexist. And a xenophobic nationalist. Among other things.

Not to name call or anything.

And all of those observable facts seem to sit quite well with his base of supporters, most Republicans of Congress and, apparently, with the evangelical Christian community whose members have ceded the floor to crickets.

Not even the chilling moment at Trump’s Wednesday rally in North Carolina when the crowd chanted “send her back” can apparently budge them from their repose. The chanters were referring, of course, to Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, one of the four women of color known as “the Squad.” And the crowd’s clarion Trumpeter was the president himself, who, though he didn’t start the chant, certainly seemed to enjoy it.

His expression during the 13 seconds that he allowed the chant to reach its desired pitch was most chilling of all. His jutting jaw, his down-the-nose gaze, his seeming serenity in the eye of a storm, all spoke louder than the metronomic mass surrounding him.

The king was pleased.

That moment encapsulated Trump’s reelection strategy and reminded everyone of three years ago when retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn led the 2016 Republican Convention in a similar chant aimed at Hillary Clinton: “Lock her up!” (We’ll resist the temptation to remark on the three-syllable limit when Republicans think aloud.)

In the language of “Criminal Minds,” Trump is escalating. Lock her up. Send her back. What’s next? One shudders to wonder.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/parker-trump-is-a-racist-supporters-whats-your-excuse/