Trump is Learning the Hard Way that Minority Congresswomen are far from an Easy Target

By: Honor Donnie

President Trump kicked off last week with a couple of indirect tweets for four minority women also known as “The Squad.” These women each have huge social media presence, using their platforms to discuss polcies and remain in touch with the American people.

"Why don't they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.” A question straight from the President of the United States, directed at members of his very own Congress.

A question that really only applied to Representative Omar— who immigrated to America from Somalia as a teenager. 

Wednesday’s presidential rally in North Carolina served as propaganda for Islamaphobic people within America and worldwide. Donald Trump allocated some of his time during what was supposed to be a 2020 Presidental rally to continue his attack on the four minority Democratic congresswomen — Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI).  The frenzied crowd did not hesitate to chant “Send her back!”—words meant for Rep. Ilhan Omar. 

Trump denied that his comments were racist on Twitter, claiming that he did not “have a Racist bone in [his] body!”  The President’s rant including his claims of the congresswomen being anti-semtic, anti-USA, and Pro-terrorism.  

While Representative Ilhan Omar was born in Somalia, her current status is that of an American citizen and has been since 2000. Her experiences are that of a Black Muslim woman in America and her constituents are American citizens. The people chanting “Send her back!” are invalidating her validity as an American citizen and the experiences Omar likely shares with them, because they operate under a misguided belief that it is invalid, further “justified” by the current occupant of the Oval Office! 

Her reaction to the chants was proactive, with her urging Americans to stay focused. She matches the bigotry aimed toward her with policy, undaunted and consistent, tweeting that she would not let the distractions, fueled and endorsed by 45, stop her from doing what the people of Minnesota sent her in good faith to do. 

House Democrats assert the President is just doing what he specializes in; using bigotry and racism to distract from the real issues. Nonetheless, it is important to understand why chants and hateful rallies are dangerous, especially those cosigned or condoned by the world’s most powerful leader. Where he leads, people follow, and the past has shown there are few paths he can head down where some constituents would hesitate, no matter how inflammatory or shocking. Donald Trump is known for using his platform to attack and bully others, especially those who question him or who he perceived as a challenge to his goal of “Mak[ing] America Great Again.” In misreading Representative Ilhan Omar as an easy target, he’s in fact made it even easier to expose him for who he truly is, no matter who he claims to be in his tweets. In fact, he’s misread the entire “Squad” and in the coming months, there’s no doubt we will learn just how severe of a mistake he’s made.