(ThyBlackMan.com) Like nearly every other black man in America, I’ve been taken aback by the manner through which Donald Trump has used racist code language to undermine the presidency of Barack Obama. After first wondering if he was born in the United States, Trump has made reference to Obama playing too much basketball to pay attention to the price of gas and even questioned whether or not he truly earned the grades necessary to get into the Harvard Law School.
Even if the president somehow slithered his way into Harvard, I can’t imagine an unqualified student being chosen as the first black Editor of the Harvard Law Review. Trump’s questionable behavior is being called for what it is, for even Bob Schieffer from CBS has made reference to Trump’s “ugly strain of racism.” Many of Trump’s fellow Republicans are running for the hills, as one of their most visible leaders has engaged in incredibly odd behavior.
But when I analyze Trump’s statements objectively, I must confess that the Business School Professor in me doesn’t understand his choices one bit. One of the first rules of “Corporate America 101” is to avoid any serious controversy, especially religious or political, for this additional volatility almost never helps the bottom line. Cases in point are the recent boycott against Chick-fila by the gay community for standing against gay marriage, and price that Oprah Winfrey paid for jumping out to support President Barack Obama. Mind you, Winfrey’s price was minimal because her behavior was carefully planned, but Trump seems to be determined to destroy every business in which he’s currently invested.
Viewers are now running away from “The Apprentice” television show in droves, with advertiser boycotts being launched by several groups across the nation. Also, I can’t imagine any Obama supporter being excited about staying in a hotel with the name “Trump” in front of it. Trump’s tirades will cost him billions, his shareholders and employees will suffer, and after it’s all said and done, he still won’t have a chance to become president.
I seriously wonder what’s happened to Donald Trump. The calculated behavior that helped him rise to the top of the business world is nowhere to be found as he runs from one network to another pursuing his vendetta against President Obama. Could it be ego? Could Trump be losing it? Perhaps he is simply a disgruntled white male who has a tough time transitioning to a growingly-inclusive America.
Whatever the reason for Donald Trump’s most recent behavior, the price is going to be steep. His status as a cultural icon, political leader and corporate captain are all in jeopardy and probably won’t ever recover again. If I had to be honest, I’d say that deep down, there’s a part of me that feels sorry for Donald Trump. Well, just a little bit.
Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.
Racism is the accepted fact that the black unemployment rate is always twice that of non-blacks in America. Let’s be real clear on racism.
I’m amazed by the comments from educated scholars, to the average voters, that have all been too quick cry racism. I don’t see the racism here & I’m black. Like Trump, I want to see Obama’s sealed records now too.
The point that Donald Trump plans to make is that Mr. Obama is a fraud. I don’t think that Trump will run for POTUS, he’s just being smug. He is smug because, he has spent his own money to vet Mr. Obama, and will soon reveal his secret past. People shouldn’t rush to judge Mr. Trump on this.
Donald Trump has found out the hard way, that you can’t speak out against Mr. Obama. Whenever anyone is not in line with “his” new agenda, they are attacked by blindly racist blacks and all the other Obamanics. They will demand your head on a platter for merely questioning the Emperor’s story. What happened the to America where everyone has a right to an opinion, even Trump? What do you really know about Obama, except he’s 1/2 black?
He emerged from the ranks of a politically corrupt city, Chicago, IL.
As a life long Chicagoan, I wouldn’t find it hard to believe that gross irregularities occurred when the Chicago Dem. Machine vetted Mr. Obama. Let’s be honest, he has reneged on everything he pledged to get into office. Who can we blame? He never shared a plan of action or even his real name (Barry Soetoro), just empty slogans of change that won’t come.
Can you still identify with this “African” man, with a white mother, from Hawaii, USA? I’m very concerned that he may not be who he claims at this point. The POTUS doesn’t share the same struggle as the freed slaves of American mainland. Today is 2011, after 2+ years, I need to redeem some of that transparency Mr. Obama promised to me for my ’08 vote.
As POTUS, he has been a failure to date and his known past still remains a sketchy story. Obama’s 1st act as POTUS was to seal his records? He then proceeded to spend over $2mil. to keep them sealed. The election promise of transparency has long since been broken, but who dares to call him to task? We are heading for $7/gal. gas and black folks are still fighting for him, most are unable to accept that we have been hustled.
Donald Trump (the racist) has spent his own money to get Obama’s real background. He is acting smug because he found out that Mr. Obama is a contrived fraud. He won’t say anything until after his TV show finale.
Fraud should be of concern, Mr. Obama can potentially be blackmailed by shady information from his past. Maybe this why his politics have been so far from his election promises of change? Could this be the reason we now have Bush Beige, instead of MLK meets Malcolm X, like on those posters sold in 2008?
What if we have been hustled for the office of POTUS, by a true African, not an African American? Damn, I voted for Obama too. We all know of Africans who don’t respect us because of the slavery that’s part of our US History? Since slavery was never their experience, they feel superior to us. Maybe it’s not swagger that Obama has? Maybe it’s arrogance, deceit and latent contempt for the suckers who are still buying his crap? What if Mr. Obama is a contrived pawn of the elite that he really serves?