This just keeps getting uglier for Trump
It is not surprising that Donald Trump’s racist comedian is still being discussed. His campaign claimed to have nothing to do with it, but YouTube journalist Brian Tyler Cohen says otherwise. According to Cohen, the comedian was also planning to call Vice President Kamala Harris the “c word,” but Trump’s campaign said “no.” In other words, they vetted the comedian before he performed. Apparently, using the word “cunt” is much more derogatory than insulting an entire race of people. Cohen then made an appeal to Latinos everywhere: “Look, Latinos, Donald Trump doesn’t have an ounce of respect for you. He rose to power calling you rapists and drug dealers. And now he’s giving the green light for Puerto Rico to be called trash on the literal biggest stage in the United States of America. Do not reward a guy who hates you by giving him exactly what he’s looking for.” Cohen is right, and some Puerto Ricans are taking this very personally (as they should).
BBC spoke with several people of Puerto Rican heritage who reside in the North Philadelphia suburb of Fairhill. That area alone boasts over 90,000 Puerto Ricans who proudly display their heritage; their flag is everywhere. People were angry about Hinchcliffe’s tasteless joke, and they believe it could be a major mistake in the key state of Philadelphia. BBC spoke with Ivonne Torres Miranda, who said: “The campaign just hurt itself so much. It’s crazy to me. … We’re Puerto Ricans. We have dignity, and we have pride.” VP Harris’s campaign posted that Trump was doing no more than “fanning the fuel of trying to divide,” and shortly thereafter, both Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez endorsed her. Jessie Ramos, a Harris supporter, told BBC: “[The] joke just put it in the bag for us. He literally gave us the win. He has no idea how hard the Latino community is going to come out and support Kamala Harris.” As Brian Cohen said, why would you reward someone who so openly dislikes you by voting for him?
Interestingly, Harris was in Fairhill at a Puerto Rican restaurant (Freddy & Tony’s) that is considered a community hub while Trump’s comedian was making the nasty “joke.” According to BBC there are approximately 600,000 Latinos in Pennsylvania who are eligible to vote, and more than 470,000 of those are Puerto Ricans. Not a good group to piss off. This was also the day that Harris unveiled her new platform policy of giving much-needed economic development and improved disaster relief to Puerto Rico. Between Harris’s promise and Trump’s tone deafness, it should make a difference. Dalma Santiago, the owner of Freddy & Tony’s, which Harris was visiting, said that everyone heard it “loud and clear.” She doesn’t know if it will change anyone’s minds, “But nobody will be forgetting that one.”
Likely, the people of Puerto Rico have not forgotten Trump throwing paper towels at them after Hurricane Maria killed thousands of residents instead of helping them by formulating a plan for the future. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: People of color who vote for this shameless racist need their heads examined.
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years