NorthJersey

The writer of a recent letter to the editor states that columnist Bruce Lowry “wrongly accused our president of racism” and goes on say that “when a writer makes such a claim he or she should provide evidence regarding these so-called ‘racially tinged comments.’” One almost doesn’t know where to begin.

A Google search for Trump’s racially tinged comments retrieves a plethora of remarks made by Trump that reveal his racism and bigotry. Some of them aimed at Muslims, some at Mexicans. But these groups are not races, so for me they only count as bigotry, not racism.

There are numerous articles exposing his racism, many of them from decades ago, but the writer might believe he has changed his ways. Trump’s failure to disavow the support of white nationalists during the campaign is but one example that demonstrates that he has not changed his ways at all. His years’ long quest to prove President Barack Obama wasn’t born in America is another or would the writer prefer to believe that Trump simply didn’t like Obama’s policies and was blind to his heritage?

Despite the fact that the next example is quite old by now, Trump’s record of racism is most clearly seen in his reaction to the Central Park Five, a group of five teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of beating and raping a jogger in 1989. Their convictions were overturned in 2002 based on DNA evidence. Yet that made no difference to Trump who then stated that they must be guilty of something; they’re not choir boys. The basis of his assessment is most assuredly grounded in racism. This event happened several years prior to him being sued for discrimination, both in housing and employment practices.

There is no shortage of comments by Trump over the last 18 months that clearly display his feelings and attitudes towards races other than his own. I am reminded of the old saying: “There are none so blind as those who will not see.”

Roy Landis

Cresskill, Oct. 6