'Trump’s campaign re-emboldens racists, white supremacists'

Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders’ comments are too little and maybe too late as Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s rise overshadows politics-as-usual in the US, an American writer and political activist says.

Mickey Z., the author of Occupy This Book and Occupy These Photos made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Sunday, a day after Sanders visited the US-Mexico border and condemned Trump for making controversial remarks against Mexican immigrants.

“While I’m not a supporter of any major party candidate, I will admit Bernie Sanders expressed a crucial sentiment at a recent campaign stop in Arizona when he stated: ‘As I have traveled around this country and talked to immigrant families, and particularly Latino immigrant families, I am struck by the fear and sadness that grips so many of them,’” said Mickey Z.

“Meanwhile, in Utah, Donald Trump was declaring: ‘We have become a third world country, folks!’ He went on to add: ‘We are sitting on a big fat ugly bubble. At some point unless we act quickly and smartly, it is going to explode. You need the right people. We have the wrong people now,’” he added.

“Where have we heard all this before? A nation in economic decline and on the brink of social collapse. Racial scapegoating. Choosing between the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’ people,” he continued.

“Of course, Sanders didn’t go far enough in his recent condemnation of all this. He and all non-Trump candidates will ultimately continue with the propaganda-obscured status quo. The system is irreversibly rigged; the change and ‘revolution’ we need won’t happen by following its rules; and the usual suspects offer nothing new except a few campaign promises,” the analyst observed.

“However, there’s something more urgent and ominous to consider this time around. Trump-ism is already the 2016 winner and now - except for white men - a perpetually hostile and dangerous environment has become even more actively predatory. It has re-emboldened racists and white supremacists all across the country,” he pointed out.  

“To view this phenomenon as some form of low brow entertainment spectacle is to expose one’s lack of historical context. For some Americans to flippantly talk of moving to Canada is a betrayal to all those without the resources to leave or fight back or earn justice. To trot out the classic ‘it can’t happen here’ is to ignore that it’s already happened here many times and, in some cases, never stopped happening. Ignore it at own peril,” the activist concluded.

Trump, who has never held elected office, is leading the race despite the fact that his campaign has been marked by controversial statements, including disparaging remarks about women, Mexican immigrants and Muslims.

Trump says he would deport 11 million undocumented workers from the United States and would establish a "deportation force" for this purpose.

He has also promised to expel undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the US-Mexico border. In addition, he has proposed repealing the constitutional right to citizenship of anyone born on US soil.

Over the past several days, Trump’s rallies have descended into violence between supporters and protesters, and have become heavily secured events teeming with dozens and in some cases hundreds of police.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk