When Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Pacts with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri (on behalf of Pope Pius XI), it wasn't because he had had a religious epiphany or had suddenly fallen in love with the Church. What it was was that he had come to the realization that the Church's support could aid him in his efforts of conquest and power. Basically, so that he could continue to go against everything the Church claimed it stood for in terms of kindness toward humanity.

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Republican nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE was also at a church himself recently — this one not in Vatican City, but in Detroit. In order to promote his "outreach" to the black community, Trump's campaign arranged a highly scripted visit to Great Faith Ministries International, Bishop Wayne Jackson presiding. Trump participated in their service and spoke for about 10 minutes, saying at one point that Americans should "turn again to our Christian heritage to lift up the soul of our nation."

Putting aside that the above quotation can be seen as a slight not only against Muslims — Trump's favorite target — but also Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and others — and that it's based on the myth that the founders were a religious bunch — let's consider the true nature of this visit.

Originally, Trump was only supposed to speak for just one minute, but, according to Jackson, the Trump people had requested more time, claiming that Trump had written out some important words and that, if only he could say them, it would be "a blessing because this is his heart."

Why do I sense the workings of Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway? Trump has only ever spoken like that never in his life. He's also never cared about issues that affect the black community, poor people or civil rights. And one photo op doesn't change that.

But, in case some people have forgotten, I'd like to give some reminders of why Trump is considered a bigot. It's only a partial list, I’m afraid, as a full list would take up more space than I've been granted here.

But here goes:

1. He led the "birther" movement claiming that President Obama wasn’t actually born in this country. At times, he claimed that he had sent a team of investigators to Hawaii and that "they cannot believe what they are finding."

Well, as it turned out, neither could anyone else, because there were no investigators and there was nothing to find. The president released his long-form certificate, which showed, to no reasonable person's surprise, that he was born in the United States in 1961.

Never before had Trump (or anyone else, for that matter) been so obsessed with seeing a president's long-form certificate. Anyone with half a brain knows why it was different for Obama.

Now Trump has finally admitted that Obama was born in this country, something he long denied. Yet, in an ironic twist, he posited that it was Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden goes on offense MORE who started the birther movement, a claim that has been thoroughly debunked. Even more outrageous is that Trump is now trying to take credit for bringing the issue to a close, pretending that he somehow helped. I'm fairly certain that Obama will not agree.

Will Trump take any flak for this clear and utter nonsense? Will the media hold him to account? Time will tell.

2. He's proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States.

He can change the rhetoric, but the policy and the intent hasn't changed. It's also how he built his base of support.

3. He claimed that he saw "thousands and thousands of people" in New Jersey cheering as the World Trade Center came down. Another nonsense claim directed at Muslims.

4. He said that Mexico purposely sends us rapists and drug dealers. In order to stop the largely nonexistent influx of Mexicans, he's proposed building a "great wall."

If anything, illegal immigrants are going through Mexico from places such as Honduras and Nicaragua. But, to Trump, they're all "Mexicans."

5. He said that an American judge of Mexican heritage couldn’t adjudicate his case impartially.

6. He said (in the '90s) that "Women, you have to treat them like shit," in order to win them over.

7. In response to Khizr Khan's condemnation of him, Trump spoke out against Khan's wife, Ghazala, saying, "maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say" because she's Muslim.

In truth, Ghazala Khan chose not to speak because talking about her dead son, who lost his life in service to his country, is too painful for her.

8. In the 1970s, the Justice Department sued him and his father for discrimination again black people seeking to rent apartments, finding systematic discrimination.

9. He's retweeted white supremacists.

10. He consistently uses terms such as "the blacks" and "the Hispanics."

11. He used to personally judge Miss USA contestants based on their looks, before the competition.

12. He's made consistently sexist comments, including telling one contestant on "The Celebrity Apprentice" that it would be "a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees." He also returned a Gail Collins column to her with her picture circled and the phrase "The Face of a Dog!" scrawled on it. And he's publicly judged Arianna Huffington, Rosie O'Donnell and Carly Fiorina based on their looks.

13. In a comment that is nothing if not bizarre, he claimed that President Obama founded the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

14. In addition to requesting to see Obama's birth certificate, Trump also wanted to see his college transcripts because he "heard he was a terrible student."

Obama, of course, was a phenomenal student.

15. He also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin once called Obama the N-word. There's no evidence that that ever occurred.

The point is that if Mussolini throws on a wig or makes some pleasant statements or even makes a deal with the pope, he doesn't stop being Mussolini.

Trump has already done plenty to show us his bigoted ways. A trip to Flint, Michigan or to Mexico or to a black church or even some black members of his campaign don't do anything to change that. Nor does chatting it up with a sellout like "The Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon.

Donald Trump hasn't changed; he's still the same old bigot. He's just hoping we have short memories.

Rosenfeld is an educator and historian who has done work for Scribner, Macmillan and Newsweek.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.