Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 07:12 pm
The Republican National Convention kicked off on Monday in Cleveland, Ohio, with ‘Make America Safe Again!’ set to be the opening-night theme.
#MakeAmericaSafeAgain🇺🇸#RNCinCLE #GOPConvention https://t.co/nYsaqtF3EM pic.twitter.com/6Ao4BhpUzU
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) July 18, 2016
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A low-information voter may be easily swayed by such a simplistic slogan, but let’s try to remember that no candidate seeking the presidency right now has endangered the country more than Donald Trump has – all without evening getting a set of White House keys.
Let’s have a quick refresher, shall we?
Since its inception, the Trump campaign has made it their mission to denigrate Muslims, whether they live here or abroad. He’s suggested that we should patrol Muslim neighborhoods, shut down Mosques and, of course, impose a religious test on those coming to the United States.
If you’re a Muslim, Trump spews, you aren’t welcome here. If you happen to be a Muslim already living in the United States, he promises to keep an eye on you because it’s obvious you don’t love your country.
Not only does this language alienate an entire community that we need to to be embracing and working with, but it has emboldened our enemies.
Terrorist organizations – like the one in the video below – have even used Trump’s words to boost membership:
Look how America views Muslims, our enemies say, citing Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric.
Of course, the spray-tanned billionaire hasn’t just given our enemies fresh red meat; he’s also done his best to damage important relationships with our allies, particularly Britain. For our adversaries, from Vladimir Putin to Kim Jong-un to Sadam Hussein, he’s offered nothing but praise.
He hopes to take this reckless behavior to the White House, promising to implement torture, expand the use of nuclear weapons, and illegally drop bombs on the innocent family members of terrorists.
Don’t worry, though, because Trump promises to consult himself and “the shows” for foreign policy advice.
The truth is that Trump and company can (and will) try to think of as many simplistic, fear-mongering slogans as they can to win over voters. But Americans shouldn’t forget all the ways that the presumptive Republican nominee has already damaged America’s national security.
We shouldn’t want to see what he’d do when given actual power.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.