Fear and Loathing in Trump's America: The Consequences of Inspiring Hate and Violence
26 Pages Posted: 29 Sep 2020
Date Written: September 24, 2020
Abstract
Hate speech has consequences far beyond hurt feelings. Indeed, there are several defining characteristics of hate speech: it is ”directed against a specified or easily identifiable individual or a group of individuals based on an arbitrary and normatively irrelevant feature;” it ”stigmatizes the target group by implicitly or explicitly ascribing to it qualities widely regarded as highly undesirable;” and “the target group is viewed as an undesirable presence and a legitimate object of hostility.” Empirical data reveals the deleterious effects hate speech has on victims, their families, and communities at large. One of these effects is the direction of attitudes and behaviors of society against the targeted group. Such attitudes can result in deep dislike and distrust of the targeted group, and in terms of behavior, it can lead to violence against that group. In the worst of cases, societal behavior can even include genocide.
Trump has used incendiary rhetoric to stoke the flames of fear and hatred. He actually introduced his campaign by calling for an end to undocumented immigration with the now infamous statement: “Mexico is not bringing their best; they’re bringing drugs; they’re bringing crime; they’re rapists…” After the election, Trump continued to remind his base of a purported invasion at the Mexican border, using the tool of political rhetoric to create a hateful alarmist xenophobic narrative depicting hordes or masses preparing to overthrow this country. However, the facts demonstrate the purported undocumented immigration problem does not come from those crossing the Southern border. Undocumented immigration is far higher from visa overstays. Nevertheless, Trump continues to use this sort of theater to create nationalistic fervor amongst white U.S. citizens to demonize the so-called Latin American invasion at our southern border. Indeed, Trump’s “us versus them” anti-immigrant political rhetoric likely won him the 2016 presidential election. Thus, this sort of rhetoric can serve as a powerful, if not dangerous, tool.
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