On Monday, NBC cut ties with Donald Trump following Trump's comments about undocumented immigrants, joining a growing list of activists and media outlets who are severing ties with the 2016 presidential candidate. Trump was quick to respond — and, believe me, Trump's statement to NBC is absolutely ridiculous. Here's a line-by-line breakdown of why his response is inaccurate and no less racially offensive than his original comment.
- "Mr. Trump stands by his statements on illegal immigration, which are accurate." His "statements on illegal immigration" referred to undocumented immigrants as rapists, drug-dealers, and criminals — not only are these statements inaccurate, but they're racist. Not that Trump cares very much; he's made it clear that he's "fighting for the United States," not for Mexico or America's Mexican population. Meanwhile, Miss USA co-host Roselyn Sanchez made it clear that she's fighting for the dignity of her community, not for Trump's money.
- "NBC is weak, and like everybody else is trying to be politically correct — that is why our country is in serious trouble." Our country is actually in "serious trouble" because some people take Trump — who managed to reduce all activism to the phrase "political correctness" — seriously. NBC is not weak for severing ties with a man who refuses to apologize for and remedy injustice. If anything, NBC is trying to move on from a past riddled with microaggressions, of which an ad about a monkey gymnast and comments about "imaginary barriers" come to mind.
- "As has been stated continuously in the press, people are pouring across our borders unabated. Public reports routinely state great amounts of crime are being committed by illegal immigrants." This is just lazy. "The press" is not a singular entity that exists to feed Trump's inaccuracy, and vaguely referring to "public reports" does not prove Trump's case. In reality, "public reports" and "the press" have, among other things, joined a national conversation on structural racism and violence committed by predominantly white, American policemen. Your move, Trump.
- "Long ago I told NBC that I would not being doing The Apprentice because I am running for President in order to Make our Country Great Again." Completely unnecessary capitalization aside, Trump is actually Making our Country Great Again by removing himself from our airwaves and thereby sparing us from his arrogance.
- “If NBC is so weak and so foolish to not understand the serious illegal immigration problem in the United States, coupled with the horrendous and unfair trade deals we are making with Mexico, then their contract violating closure of Miss Universe/Miss USA will be determined in court." Read: "NBC is weak and foolish to shut down racism and respect the dignity of people of color. I will search the world for a lawyer who could somehow make the case that I am right in this situation."
- "Furthermore, they will stand behind lying Brian Williams, but won’t stand behind people that tell it like it is, as unpleasant as that may be." Surprise! He managed to get Brian Williams in there, too. And while it's probably unnecessary to say this, Trump doesn't "tell it like it is." However, it does speak volumes that he gets the airtime he does. He seems to operate under the notion that "all press is good press," and while that isn't true, he is very intentional in the way he stirs up controversy. Even as I write this, I'm probably giving him exactly what he wants — attention, and a reason to continue dismissing liberals. It's okay, though; his hair has a much better chance of winning the Republican nomination than he does.
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