CNN’s Van Jones took to Facebook July 31 to ask his followers to not paint Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s supporters all as racists and bigots.
Jones says that Trump voters need to be treated with more respect than they are currently receiving.
“First of all, I’m tired of hearing from people saying that the so call Trump voters are completely 100 percent driven by racism, by bigotry, by hatred,” Jones says. “… There is some real racial anxiety driving his campaign—-no doubt. But to say that is the only thing that is going on, I don’t think is fair.”
The political commentator points out that many people in the Rustbelt region of the country have seen their towns lose jobs, wast away, and become destitute. Now, they are looking for hope in the form of Trump’s campaign.
However, Jones’ analysis leaves out the countless times Black people were harassed at rallies.
Atlanta Black Star reported in March that Black men and women were assaulted at North Carolina and Kentucky Trump rallies as they protested his racist rhetoric.
East Carolina University student, Adebayo Adeniyi, escorted out of the rally in Fayetteville. At the same event, a white supporter—- identified as John McGraw—- sucker-punched Black protester Rakeem Jones while he was being removed.
During a rally in Kentucky, a University of Louisville student, Shiya Nwanguma, was pushed, shoved and verbally abused by confirmed white nationalists.
Even at July’s Republican National Convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, an avid Trump supporter encouraged others to attack Black protesters if necessary.
