In 2016, Donald Trump gave an interview in which he stated flatly that. "Most of my followers are white trash. In fact the only difference between me and them is that I have money, and they don't."
Excerpt from an article on "History of White Trash"
Trump and the white trash syndrome
By Frank Robinson on July 31, 2019 at 4:37 PM
"We’re seeing a version of this syndrome recrudesce in Trump support. Careful studies of polling data have shown that the one factor most closely correlated with Trump support is racial antagonism. Whites who are doing fine have no cause for animus against other ethnicities flourishing. But a big segment of today’s white population is not doing fine. Especially less educated middle aged men, especially outside major cities. This demographic looms large in the opioid crisis. That’s one way to cope with feeling devalued. Another, as with the old white trash syndrome, is sticking it to a different group they can see as even lower. They need to keep blacks where they were.
But they’re failing. Where non-whites were previously marginalized, they’re now mainstreamed, America becoming less white. This messes with some people’s sense of identity. Today’s America is no longer a collective they really feel tight with. Moreover, some see the change as actually happening at the expense of whites. So compounding the economic malaise is an aggrieved resentment, scapegoating non-whites. All the more potent if you furthermore imagine them inferior."
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I do not totally agree with Robinson’s analysis. “White Trash” is just a label that means different things to different people. There is no reason to believe that all Trump supporters feel inferior or that they blame non-whites for their problems. Those ideas are nothing but pure imagination and invention. I know a lot of people who voted for Trump, and not one of them fits the meme. It might be fun to throw around the “White Trash” word—Bill Clinton has been so called, but truly trashy people, White or Black. are highly unlikely to vote.
Trump was elected with broad support from various groups all across the country. To reduce those supporters to “White Trash” is stereotyping of the worst sort. Keep it up and Trump is sure to be re-elected.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
May 14, 2020
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I disagree. They may not use the term " white trash", but they rely upon assumptions, innuendos, and conspiracies. They act out of total selfishness and narrow mindedness. Yes it is stereotyping, but often time actions speak louder than words and the collective action presents it's own statement and impressions.
@t1nick “They” are half of the American public. No, they are not selfish and narrow minded any more than you.or anyone else. They are a conglomerate of many kinds of people who saw something in Trump that they liked. If you want to demonize and belittle half the American public that is your option. All I’m saying is that that rhetoric is sure to get Trump re-elected.
They are less than 40% of the American public. Only 60 % of the eligible voters in this country voted. Only 45 % of that 60 % voted for Trump. Polls at the time demonstrated that the remaing 40% who did not vote, but were eligible, would have voted Democratic and not for Trump.
That puts his share of the populace somewhere around 30-35%, which matches his poll numbers for most of his term. So William it is not half the country.
It's a lot like the Moral Majority during the Reagan era. They were not a majority (or moral), just loud and dominated the airwaves. Trump supporters are similar, just very loud, but unfortunately this iteration is not afraid to resort to biolence.
@t1nick I don’t know the exact percentage, you could be right. Enough people voted for the guy to get him elected, and that’s what counts.
My friend voted for Trump. She has a masters degree, is very intelligent, not selfish or narrow-minded and is not loud, domineering or violent. Oddly, most of my neighbors are Trump supporters and are much like her. Oddly, I don’t know of a SINGLE person who matches your slurring description.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t people like that off in cities somewhere. I read about these antifa types who seem that way: domineering, loud and violent. And resorting to slurring demonization and stereotyping.
No stereotype fits any group entirely. But watching Trump rallies, Trump supporter protests, and Trump supporter interviews over the last four years, it's hard to get any other impression. The people you describe generally do not get interviewed, or get air space and remain invisible. But, I suspect they are also a minority of the overall Trump base.
Regardless, given the lack of morality, ethics, and incompetence demonstrated by Trump and his Administration, it's hard to believe that "good people" per se would stand for what we have witnessed these last four years. The cost of turning the other cheek and checking ones values to recieve a modicum boost to their financial status is not an acceptable value substitute.
@t1nick I don’t know. I’m not planning to vote for the guy, but some of my perfectly lovable neighbors and relatives will.
Thank heavens we live in the US where we have that privilege and opportunity..
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