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Political Correctness? Trump Doesn’t Understand Political Inclusion

Emil Photo Again Edited 61b7dabb61239

During the same week he had Univision anchor Jorge Ramos physically removed from a news conference, Donald Trump held another news conference outside of Boston on Friday.

But he didn’t apologize for how he treated Ramos earlier in the week.

Maybe Trump didn’t see his telling Ramos “Go back to Univision,” as an outright racist slur. Go back to Univision? You mean with all the brown people? It’s not so innocent a taunt.

It is a public display of racist anger. You can recall when you’ve been told to get lost in worst terms.

If you’re outraged, just wait till you hear what Trump had to say about Mexico.

“Mexico, both in trade and at the border, what they’re doing to us is terrible,” Trump said at his appearance in Norwood, Massachusetts. “I love the people of Mexico, I love Hispanics. Nobody, nobody loves Hispanics like I do. I probably have more than almost about anybody working for me. They come in, they buy apartments, they give me a fortune, I love them. I love ’em.”

Love Hispanics? Does that mean he’ll build a shorter wall?

And Ramos? He wasn’t even mentioned. Guess he’s old news to Trump.

By now, we should all know what Trumps thinks of Mexicans and their anchors, and their anchor babies.

Last week alone, in addition to Latinos, Trump offended Asian Americans by speaking in a bad Asian accent. And Blacks? Does the GOP frontrunner have anything to say about African-Americans? (Although he did seem to have an African-American bodyguard last week. Was that an affirmative action hire?)

The point with Trump is that he doesn’t care what people of color think and he dismisses it all as “political correctness.”

P.C. seems to be making a comeback among politicians these days, and everyone is complaining about it from almost every perspective. Trump and Jeb Bush commented about it last week when they got pushback on their comments on immigration.

And recently even Bill Maher ― who one would view as considerably more Left of Trump ― was seen on his own HBO show complaining about P.C.

Maher spoke with Atlantic writer Caitlin Flanagan who wrote a piece suggesting that the reason we’re seeing a heightened sensitivity is due to a generation of identity politics taking hold.

Interesting, but so what?

What would be better — A rising majority of Latinos, African-Americans and Asian Americans that stays silent and says nothing?

What we’re seeing isn’t political correctness defined by identity politics.

What we’re seeing is a growing political awareness of large groups of people that until now were not really seen as a major part of the equation.

They were used to their own silence.

And so were all the people in power.

Now, however, these groups have emerged, on campus and throughout society, and must be addressed.

These groups are smart, loud and talking back. They are new and different voices. And when they can’t be seen or heard, they empower Jorge Ramos and other journalists of color to ask different questions than the White mainstream press.

Ramos and others who have fought to have their voices heard are reporters who know the importance of getting the right question answered once they get a foot in the door.

Ramos ultimately got some answers out of Trump when The Donald let him back in. But people better get used to the demands from these new audiences that make up a vocal new America.

Because you can’t treat the new majority like they aren’t there or don’t exist. Not anymore.

Trump won’t be around in November 2016 if he stays with his present mindset.

He needs to learn that the loud outcry he hears has nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with the demands of diversity — political inclusion.

Emil Guillermo is the 2015 winner of the Asian American Journalists Association’s Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice. He writes on race and society for the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Contact: www.amok.com, www.fb.com/emilguillermomedia, www.twitter.com/emilamok.

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