Racism is his trump card

Re Trump doesn’t deserve all the blame levelled at him, Oct. 31

“Maybe Trump doesn’t deserve all the blame levelled at him” says the headline over Thomas Walkom’s column. The column takes issue with Trump’s critics (including the New York Times) who put the blame for increasing racist attacks and sentiments on the rhetoric coming from the White House. Walkom sites statistics of the number of anti-Semitic attacks over the last several years, which apparently contest the theory.

He also points out some “achievements” in diplomacy and trade that he claims Trump has made in his two years in office.

The column ends with the statement Trump “has shown himself to be an astute politician. Those who would dismiss him would keep that in mind.” Yes, an astute politician, but “rabble rouser” would be my choice of descriptor.

Racism and violence based on race has been rising in the United States and elsewhere (Canada is not immune) at least since the 2008 election.

Actually, it’s never been far from the surface. In the United States, I would say that the election of a Black president in that year prompted a greater racist backlash than had been seen before. Much of that backlash can be seen in the “birthright controversy,” of which Trump was front, centre and lead.

Walkom is fairly balanced in his description of Trump’s personality, but I think he’s wishy washy on the true nature of the beast. Trump is divisive and, as a great rabble rouser, he is using the distrust and anger of the American people to keep himself in power.

Racism is definitely one of his trump cards. Stephen Bloom, Toronto