Following Daddy’s Lead: Trump Jr. Compares Syrian Refugees To Deadly Skittles

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Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:13 pm

Whenever an incident of terrorism pops up somewhere around the world, or here at home, you can mostly take two things to the bank: 1. Donald Trump is going to exploit the hell out of it; 2. He’s going to use it not to call for unity, but instead to stoke more fear and division.

Donald Trump Jr., the Republican nominee’s son, followed his father’s lead quite brilliantly on Monday night in a tweet of a picture that compared Syrian refugees to deadly Skittles.

Tweet:

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Like his father, Trump Jr. is predictably using the recent terror incidents to spread more fear and sow more divisions. On a normal day of the campaign, the “others” we are supposed to fear is Mexican immigrants or Muslims, but in the event of a terrorist attack, it is Syrian refugees that are the real bogeymen.

Mars, Inc., the maker of Skittles responded swiftly and appropriately with this tweet:

The truth, of course, is a lot more simple and less scary than the Trump campaign would want you to believe.

There is no flood of Syrian refugee-terrorists coming into the United States to carry out attacks. Neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama is leaving the door unlocked for violent extremists to mosey on in.

And despite the constant myths perpetuated by Trump and son, the refugee screening protocol is about as stringent a process as there is. It often takes up to two years to complete and allows mostly women and children into the country.

But, of course, this isn’t about an accurate portrayal of facts for the Republican nominee’s campaign. It’s about scaring as many Americans as possible in order to win votes. The candidate of chaos can only succeed if those going to the polls on Nov. 8 are afraid of their own shadows.

Whether it’s a terrorist planting a bomb in a dumpster or an unfit man seeking the presidency, Americans should not cower to fear and hatred.

We should reject it.

Sean Colarossi

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.