If you ask anyone about what one of the biggest hot-button topics are in the world, right now, they'll most likely say Donald Trump's campaign. And if they don't, then there's a good chance they have absolutely no access to any type of media or information source. So, Trump, where do I begin?
He has a great head of hair, knows how to really manipulate a crowd, and thinks he can become a good president. Before I tell you what I think about him, I'd like you to read what some peers of mine from a similar cultural background have to say about him.
Ravleen Kaur, 19
"I have a negative opinion of Donald Trump, as do many progressives, liberals and Democrats. First and foremost, he has no political experience or tact whatsoever. In an increasingly globalized world, his assertion that being politically correct is a burden is quite troublesome. When you’re running to be the President of the United States, you have to be diplomatic and honest so you can maintain favorable relations with the rest of the world.
"Secondly, he caters to the insecurities and hatred of American voters. His comments on Mexicans were unacceptable and demonstrate that he is a racist who knows little about immigration. His ban on Muslims is absurd and demonstrates that he knows little about defense policy, theory surrounding terrorism and religion. (FYI, I strongly believe our presence in the Middle East is a contributing factor to easier and quicker ISIS recruitment, but I know Trump would disagree. Whatever, he can bomb “Agrabah.”) You cannot blame a whole religion for the actions of a few, and you shouldn’t demonize your own Muslim American citizens. These types of verbal and physical attacks only fuel ISIS.
"Third, he never answers the questions people ask him! Lieutenant Brian Murphy was the officer who responded to the Sikh temple massacre in Wisconsin in 2012. When he asked Trump what he would do to ensure that religious minorities can retain their civil rights, Trump completely dodged the question. Furthermore, a Sikh man protesting Trump’s hatefulness was kicked out of a Trump rally while Trump mocked the “hat” aka turban on his head.
"And last, but not least, he treats women like objects and thinks their bodies are his public property to make inappropriate comments about. The bottom line is: Trump has no real policies, he knows little about the non-hateful, non-white American voter base, and is very unprofessional. Just look at the uptick in racism in Great Britain after the Brexit vote. I can imagine that a Trump presidency would only reinforce the racism in the USA and make people think their hateful actions are justified. A president isn’t supposed to divide their citizens; instead, they are supposed to be a good representative of the USA to the world, and in turn also set the standard for how we should be treating our fellow Americans. Trump does neither."
Dinushi Kulasekere, 20
"In my opinion, I think the reason why Trump has gained so much traction is because he goes against the establishment. It's sad because the American public doesn't trust their government representatives to the point where they are willing to put up with someone who is clearly not presidential material, not only in personality but also in policy -- but they feel that having a radical anti-establishment politician is better than the typical establishment politician who will only work towards special interests and leave the general public with nothing. I do not support Trump primarily because I think his policies have no base, but I also feel like I cannot trust Hillary to work for the people instead of corporations, which puts me in the boat that many people are currently in regarding the 2016 election.
"Political change starts somewhere -- and we are in dire need of change -- but I sincerely hope that other politicians (and the government in general) realize this and do something about it before we allow someone like Trump to take office and cause horrible damage."
Manit Jain, 20
"Well, I hate him. I would say mostly because of the things he says, and how scary it would be to live in America with those policies in place. But I think it's more so because of the way he says them. He has a history of flip flopping points of view and essentially kissing up to every minority group -- after he is flat out racist towards them. Not to mention how literally stupid he sounds. He repeats himself at least three times per question, and never actually answers the damn question.
"I think it would be more toxic for the U.S. to have a president who is so obviously and blatantly fake than to have a president who was to actually implement the bulls**t policies that he (sometimes) claims are part of his platform. So in detail -- I think he's a fake a** b**** who needs to come to terms with the fact that America was made "great" because of the diversity of people and culture and religion that reside here. If America never opened its doors to foreigners this country would honestly be a s**t show. #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain."
Shiva Kapoor, 22
"Donald Trump, in my mind, is one of the greatest entertainers to walk this Earth. He's a genius; the problem is he knows it. He's actually one of the smartest human beings, probably one of the reasons he's so successful. The reason he's made it so far is because he brings everyone into his battlefield, playing by his rules. He is also the most dangerous man in American politics in quite a very long time. He uses hate and fear to win elections which hasn't been done in awhile.
"I think one important quality a president needs to have is empathy. I want them to feel bad for some of the hard decisions they have to make -- the problem with Donald is I know if a mistake happens, or something cataclysmic occurs, he won't feel guilt or sorrow. He can't grieve with the American people. That's what makes him so dangerous. I think that's why we can't find someone we like in this election -- we all want someone strong and powerful, but we want someone to be empathetic as well, and that's the problem we have -- no empathy in this election. Everyone who is an American should fear Donald Trump a little bit in the back of your head because, come November, this man who clearly shows no sign of empathy will have his hand on the button -- you know what button I'm talking about. The things that make Donald Trump successful are the things we need to fear if he becomes the president."
Isha Das, 20
"Donald Trump's run for the presidency is one of the most horrendous things that modern day America has been faced with. It's so frustrating to see someone like him, with all his power and control, not use his position in a beneficial manner. It's honestly terrifying to watch him speak, and to watch the effect he has on his supporters. It borders on fanaticism and that's what's scary; it's that these are your neighbors, teachers and kids he's poisoning against you.
"When you read books about a corrupt government with a heinous leader you let your imagination do the work, but this is worse than anything anyone can have dreamt up. It's especially terrifying to see a man who views women as objects, and talks the way he does about minorities, put in a position of power. We come to the land of freedom only to have it threatened by men like him in positions of power."
Summing up
So, you've read all these comments on Trump and what can you see? Overall, Trump is seen as an incompetent, racist, unsympathetic, and ignorant man who should not run for president. I completely agree with the things that my peers have said about him and I have something more to say.
I'm not quite familiar with Trump's policies, and I have no desire to learn about them because I can't even imagine Trump winning the election. If Trump won the election, there would be widespread fear throughout the nation for non-white groups. Being an Indian woman who is also an American citizen, I do not feel comfortable living in a nation ruled by someone who tries to gain support by insulting and using racist comments against many racial groups. It's not even the fact that he says those things that scares me. It's the fact that people listen to him and support him, which means there are other people believing what he says. Sooner or later his supporters will start acting the same way Trump does and there will be no peace among non-white races in the country.
Apart from the racism, the fact that Trump just openly insults his rivals and people who don't support him just shows an incredibly large amount of unprofessionalism. For example, after his feud with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Trump was in an interview, where he was asked about the situation. During the interview, Trump referred to Sen. Warren as "Pocahontas" because of her native American roots. These kinds of cheap insults should not be used by someone who needs to present himself to all the world as the president of the United States.
The racist comments are there of course, but even worse that those are his comments on the physical appearance of many women! One example is his tweet in 2012 about Arianna Huffington's divorce. He said, "@ariannahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man- he made a good decision." It's horrifying enough to see someone like a classmate or friend disrespect someone because of their physical appearance -- and, now, someone who does that wants to run the country. It's atrocious.
In conclusion, many of my Southeast-Asian peers and myself share the same opinion about Trump: He isn't fit to be president and someone who possesses such negative qualities as a human being, in general, should not run a country.
