OPINION BY: John Hawkins

Given that 49% of Democrats think that Trump voters are racist and everyone from the news media to Democratic presidential contenders continues to claim that Trump said that white supremacists at Charlottesville were “very fine people,” despite the fact that he clearly said exactly the opposite, it is inevitable that some people will falsely accuse Donald Trump of being a racist. Additionally, since we live in a world where the liberal definition of “white supremacy” seems to be, “A white person who doesn’t vote Democrat,” the accusations of racism from the Left are just par for the course.

So, how does a man who took a picture in 1986 with Muhammad Ali and Rosa Parks when he won an Ellis Island award that is supposed to, “embody the spirit of America in their celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood, and diversity,” clear his name? How does a man who has donated to (Al) Sharpton’s original organization, the National Youth Movement, cut the ribbon at the 2002 conventions of Sharpton’s current group, the National Action Network, and gave rent-free space to Jessie Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition counter the irrational allegations that he’s a white supremacist?

Sure, more than a million black Americans voted for Trump in 2016, he makes frequent efforts to appeal to black Americans (you could ask A$AP Rocky about that) and he takes great pride in having done a better job of helping black Americans than Obama did, but how can he somehow prove that he doesn’t support people and groups he has never supported in the first place? One simple way to do that would seem to be to disavow them and publicly say he doesn’t support their cause.

So, here are 17 times Donald Trump has condemned racism, hate, white supremacism, the Alt-Right, the KKK or David Duke.

1) “I am concerned about the rise of any group of hate. I don’t like it, any group of hate, whether its white supremacy, whether it’s any other kind of supremacy, whether its antifa… I am very concerned about it and I’ll do something about it.” – Business Insider, 8/7/2019

2) “The shooter in El Paso posted a manifesto online consumed by racist hate. In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America. Hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart, and devours the soul. We have asked the FBI to identify all further resources they need to investigate and disrupt hate crimes and domestic terrorism – whatever they need.” – National Review, 8/06/2019

3) “The riots in Charlottesville a year ago resulted in senseless death and division,” Trump posted on Twitter Saturday morning. “We must come together as a nation. I condemn all types of racism and acts of violence. Peace to ALL Americans!” – USA Today, 8/11/2018

4) “I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!” – Trump Tweet, 8/19/2017

5) “We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people.” – Washington Examiner, 6/16/2016

6) “I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally.” – Trump in his famous remarks about Charlottesville, 8/15/2017

7) “Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.” – NPR, 8/14/2017

8) “I don’t want to energize the (Alt-Right), and I disavow the group,” Trump told Baquet. “It’s not a group I want to energize, and if they are energized, I want to look into it and find out why.” Asked point-blank about the conference featuring (Richard) Spencer, Trump again disavowed any support. “I disavow and condemn them,” Trump told Times reporters. He did chide them for continuing to ask about the topic though, telling one questioner: “Boy, you are really into [this issue].” – Politico, 11/22/2016

9) “I don’t like any group of hate. Hate groups are not for me. How many times do I have to reject? I’ve rejected David Duke. I’ve rejected the KKK, the Ku Klux Klan, from the time I’m five-years-old.” – The Washington Examiner, 3/6/2016

10) “I totally disavow the Ku Klux Klan. I totally disavow David Duke.” – The Hill, 3/3/2016

11) “David Duke is a bad person, who I disavowed on numerous occasions over the years,” Trump said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I disavowed him. I disavowed the KKK,” Trump added. “Do you want me to do it again for the 12th time? I disavowed him in the past, I disavow him now.” – CNN, 3/3/2016

12) “David Duke and all was disavowed. I disavowed him on Friday. I disavowed them right after that because I thought if there was any question and you take a look at Twitter, almost immediately after on Twitter and Facebook, they were disavowed again. I disavow him every time I speak to somebody virtually and they just keep it going.” – ABC, 3/1/2016

13) “I disavowed David Duke a day before in a major press conference, and I’m saying to myself: How many times do I have to continue to disavow people…” – NBC, 2/29/2016

14) “David Duke endorsed me? OK, alright. I disavow, OK?” – The Hill, 2/26/2016

15) “I don’t need (David Duke’s) endorsement; I certainly wouldn’t want his endorsement.” – Politico, 8/26/2015

16) “Well, you’ve got David Duke just joined (the Reform Party) – a bigot, a racist, a problem. I mean, this is not exactly the people you want in your party.” – NBC News, 2/24/2000

17) “I’ve had the chance to learn firsthand about the diversity of American culture, and it has left me with little appetite for those who hate or preach intolerance. One of our next president’s most important goals must be to induce a greater sense of tolerance for diversity.” – Donald Trump in his book, The America We Deserve, published 1/12/2000

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of BizPac Review.