Ever since Donald Trump was chosen by voters to be the next President of the United States, it seems that racists have been emboldened by his stunning victory.
And in recent weeks, they have come out of the woodwork to make themselves known. Whether it is spraying messages of hate on walls, or individuals attacking others based on appearance and alleged stereotypes, it is clear, at least to me, that these individuals want to make America uncomfortable for those who are not White Christians.
As a black man now living in Trump’s America, I am extremely alarmed by the recent spike in hate crimes. But I am not surprised because of the raucous tone of the president elect. That said, I worry that I, or more importantly, my family, will be on the receiving end of these attacks, some of which have included one on a Muslim New York City police officer, and thugs breaking into a NFL player’s house and spraying racial epithets.
Those committing these crimes long for an America that doesn’t exist, and should not exist. They want a land where only whites rule, and people of color are not welcome.
These individuals have a right to hate whoever they please; it’s guaranteed by the Constitution. It does not mean that they can start attacking individuals based on fear of “the other.”
I hope that every person that commits a hate crime is punished to the fullest extent of the law. Now, more than ever, we have to make examples of these hateful individuals, because they think they have more power to cause harm since the election. All of us must ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and fairness because anything else would be un-American.