This country is a nation of xenophobes. For a so-called "Land of the Free", it seems like only white, straight, Christian men are allowed to be free. While this country may be heralded as a "melting pot", it seems like we're trying to mix oil and water. Keep the refugees out. Pay women less. Arrest black people. Terrorize innocent Muslims. Keep trans people out of public restrooms. Stop gays from buying cakes.
Say what you want, the fact that a racist, mean candidate with no experience can run almost neck'n neck with a progressive politician with a clear plan is terrifying. Donald Trump plays on the Land of the Free's fears of integration. Nearly 50% of the population would like to see a president who wants to round up all undocumented immigrants "on day one" and ship them back to their original countries. This is a president who is planning on building a huge wall, even though most immigrants come through the air, and knows so little about foreign policy that he thinks he can get Mexico to pay for it. It seems to me that America is afraid. Clinton is campaigning for immigrants and minorities. The majority of Americans, for now, are white Christians. But that's been rapidly changing, and change is painful. It's scary. So, white Christians are reacting by trying to turn back the clock.
Why was it alright for Jeb Bush, major Republican primary candidate, to suggest testing potential refugees to see if they're Christian? Why is ok for Donald Trump to propose banning Muslims from entering the country? Why do we insist on arguing for Christian prayer in public schools when one of the primary things this country was founded on was freedom of religion? Why can a Christian baker gain public support for refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple? Why can a Christian deny marriage licenses only to be visited by Mike Huckabee and released from jail to an excited crowd?
The message seems clear: minorities are not welcome in America. Donald Trump is advocating for a white majority who has a comfortable superiority over minorities. In recent years, the superiority has been slipping, and white Christians have seen gay marriage legalized, Black Lives Matter in the streets, and feminism coming into the limelight again. The country feels like it's falling apart, and Trump is suggesting returning to a time where everything felt orderly and neat.
As appealing as that might sound to you, we cannot go back. As a country, we cannot return to a time when only straight white Christian men were safe. It's 2016, not 1956. Western Europe and Canada have both moved on, they've become more of a melting pot than we are. Have they faced problems with taking in immigrants and refugees? Of course, all change comes with problems. But they're taking their problems head on, while we're shying away from them.
America cannot claim to be a melting pot of diversity, a beacon of freedom, and be behind other countries in civil rights. It's hypocritical and it's cowardly. As an American, I want my country to lead the way in rights for all. I want to be proud to say I'm an American.
But if we elect Donald Trump, we won't be the leader of diversity. Don't vote for him.
