The dust has settled on the chaotic novella otherwise known as the Republican National Convention. There were among other things, allegations of plagiarism, refusal to endorse the Republican nominee and material to create an unlimited number of memes. Yet, there were also several issues of concern to Latinos one should not ignore. Here are five takeaways from the RNC for Latinos.
1. Positive Immigration Reform is in Peril
Donald Trump’s acceptance speech verified not just a tendency, but a direct willingness to buck what many consider to be the standard rules of political conventions. Conventions are supposed to be a time not only to energize the base, but also move towards a more centrist position as you pivot to a general election. Not today’s GOP. On immigration alone, they pushed forward on a xenophobic, criminalization-first platform that looks to shut the door on anyone coming from a country “compromised by terrorism.” In an era of reboots, it looks like the GOP is trying to dip into America’s toolbox of pre-1965 discriminatory policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Immigration Act of 1924 and Japanese internment. What’s next? Laws that suppress the right to vote – wait, maybe what’s old is new after all?
Of course, the Donald and the platform are short on details and to what we already know about certain policies. What does “compromised by terrorism” mean? Don’t we have enough evidence on the dangers of mandatory minimums from our failed war on drugs? We know from places like the American Immigration Council that even undocumented immigrants add 11.8 billion in local and state taxes so why would we penalize a community that in places like Cleveland is jumpstarting local growth and job opportunities?
Then again, it’s hard to field those questions when you are always speaking in ALL CAPS.
2. White Mainstream’s Last Stand
A constant theme throughout the GOP convention was fear – fear of immigrants, fear of foreigners, fear of race, fear of protest movements like #BlackLivesMatter. With its constant chants of USA! USA! it was an affirmation of self-worth for many who fear that they will be on the short end of the stick of America’s demographic shift.
That fear is real and ironically based on some level of understanding of how America treats its minorities. Although some dismissively label the terms of (white) privilege and white supremacy as divisive, they also understand, on some level, the sense of power that one has when being of a particular shade. Or of not having to learn the cultural nuances of others because yours is the one that sets the standard. What if people of color start to treat the white mainstream as they have been treated over near 400 years of interaction on this continent. While plenty of people and facts say that dichotomy is unlikely, logic doesn’t make these fears any less real.
So Cleveland was in some ways a public call to keep America stuck in the past. It was the mainstream telling the rising majority ‘We like the way things were/are. We like embracing your culture, but not incorporating it for all. We like reaching for democratic and free market ideals, but limiting who gets to receive the benefits. We like deciding who gets to sit at – and wait on — the table. We love the idea of America – as long as we get to define America looking mostly like us.’
3. There Are Latinos for Trump
Its certainly easier not to be bothered by Trump’s past racist and hateful rhetoric if you don’t believe that you are “one of those” people to whom he and supporters are referring. However, there are still significant swaths of people who are proud of their Latinx cultural heritage and want to stand up as Free-Market wielding, Second Amendment Loving, conservative value embracing members of squad GOP.
During the RNC, we saw the GOP hold regular press briefings in Spanish and saw a group of Hispanic conservatives give their endorsement of Trump after a prolonged moment of contemplation. How much support will they get from Trump or the party on the campaign trail remains to be seen. GOP Hispanic spokesperson Helen Aguirre (who has gotten lots of heat from the Miami community for supporting Trump after denouncing him in the past) was working hard in Cleveland, organizing Spanish-language and other media opportunities. Yet as of last week, she said that she had still yet to meet with the Donald.
4. Ain’t No Novela Like a GOP Telenovela
As is the case with Democrats, not every Republican was keen on the selection of the Donald as the GOP nominee. Despite the primaries having ended months ago, delegates tried to stage a coup or at least get their voices heard on the convention floor. Blocked administratively, many seethed, while the Colorado delegation refused to come back.
Yet no one could have prepared the audience for Wednesday night, when Ted Cruz spoke about everything under the sun, except for endorsing his former competitor. Some asked, why did you even come? That’s why no one likes you, said Chris Christie.
But Cruz had a simple answer: You insulted my wife and you said my father was involved in Kennedy’s assassination. In some parts of the country, those are fighting words. In an open-carry state like Texas, it’s just prologue to a gun battle. Perhaps Cruz was just mustering up his own inner Burr. Wait for it!
5. Fact Checkers Will Be Have Job Security…At Least Until November
Donald Trump and his campaign have fully embraced our current age of disruption. In his divisive speech, Trump shouted down his opponents, creating a scene of lawlessness and economic despair that was being perpetrated by immigrants and that was disproportionately affecting whites and African Americans. Blue Lives were being caught in the rhetorical and literal crossfire from activists, who had very little evidence of the grievances that they have been protesting to correct. The problem, as pointed out by the Associated Press and other outlets, much of these statements were either previously debunked claims or just plain wrong.
Of course, why tell the truth when it’s already the media’s job to analyze and contextualize our leader’s words. Debates are so much easier to win when you can line up lies or questionable evidence to support your words. And if every news outlet has the time or the money to look into these things, then they are failing the public, not him.
The irony of course is that the man who has actually been rated as having said the most lies is calling out the candidate that has the least amount of lies. This has as much to do with the perception that Hillary Clinton (and the Clintons in general) have over the years manipulated the truth for their benefit. What better way to inoculate oneself against your opponent’s charges than by suggesting that its just another example of her lying?