Sometimes we don’t have a choice about the people in our lives. Plenty of Americans know what it’s like to have a family member who is racist or sexist, and most of us don’t have the privilege of choosing who we work with or for. Still, who we choose to surround ourselves with matters. And for those with power, these personal and professional decisions hold even more weight.

Steve Bannon, Trump campaign CEO, faced domestic violence charges Read more

Donald Trump chose Stephen Bannon to lead his campaign – a man accused of domestic violence and making antisemitic comments. And he is counting on Roger Ailes to help him with debate prep – a man accused of sexual harassment by more than 20 women.

These two men are among the advisers he picked after Corey Lewandowski, charged with assaulting a female reporter, left his campaign. These choices tell us a clear story about who Trump is and what he stands for.

The associations add disturbing detail to the picture we already have of Trump – one he has painted himself, repeatedly, with disdainful comments about Muslims, Mexicans, women and disabled people. For the targets of Trump’s ire, the bigotry is obvious: polls show women, Latino and African American voters are overwhelmingly adverse to voting for Trump, and that is not likely to change before the November election.



That’s why Trump’s recent “outreach” to black voters – speeches about the African American community before mostly white audiences; upcoming visits to black churches – is not really about rehabilitating his image with people of color. It’s about pandering to white voters who want to believe they’re not racist for supporting Trump.

He’s hoping that moderate white Republicans – those who may be disturbed by Trump’s white supremacist supporters and his invective against, well, everyone – will see this as their opportunity to vote for Trump without feeling guilty for supporting a racist. As NPR’s Domenico Montanaro said last week: “the fact is whites with college degrees don’t want to feel like they are voting for somebody who’s seen as a bigot or a racist.”

Corey Lewandowski had many flaws. Trump only saw one: not winning | Lucia Graves Read more

The tactic may work to assuage that guilt, but it doesn’t change reality: a vote for Trump is a vote for racism, misogyny and hate. It matters that white supremacists (who apparently prefer the softer term “white nationalists”) support Trump, and that he is slow to disavow their endorsement. It matters that he consistently and repeatedly surrounds himself with women-haters and bigots. It matters that his policies and beliefs would irreparably harm marginalized communities.



Associating yourself with a terrible person – whether through work or through votes – reflects on who you are, whether you like it or not. Trump cannot claim to support communities that he derides and expect us to believe it. He cannot surround himself with advisers who are hateful and then say with a straight face that he does not hate.

There is no get-out-of-racism free card in this election. There is no papering over the sexism and racism that has infected this campaign. If you believe in equality, there is no voting for Trump.

