Friday, June 10, 2016

The next generation of hate: Trump creates future white supremacist leaders

A child is not born with hate, it is something which must be taught. The over-the-top drama of the current Presidential election in the United States is having a significant effect on children all across America. Not only has Trump's success in spreading his anti-immigrant and nativist message emboldened current white supremacist groups he is also creating the next generation of white supremacists, KKK members and neo-Nazis. America's children are being indoctrinated into an ideology of hate through the actions of adult Trump supporters and via the media's coverage of Trump's campaign.

Giving hate a voice

Ever since Trump announced his run for President in December 2015 there have been dramatic increases in anti-Muslim violence. During that month violence against Muslims occurred every single day. Violence against Muslims tripled during this time period with almost half of the occurrences being directed towards mosques. One-third of all violent attacks were directed at Muslims during this month. Three of the attacks were perpetrated by attackers who publicly supported Trump (1).

It seems that Trump's rhetoric has emboldened racists and white supremacists to act out their beliefs violently. Additionally, white supremacists have used the Trump campaign as a vehicle to express their ideology of hate via American politics. Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke endorsed Trump for President. When Trump was first asked to denounce the KKK leader's endorsement, he balked. White nationalist Jared Taylor has also endorsed Trump's campaign (2). Essentially, Trump's success in taking over the GOP has given the ideologies of hate groups a voice in public spaces where these ideas were once thought of as taboo.

The children are listening

Increased social acceptance of this type of rhetoric exposes more children to ideas of racial stereotypes. Studies have long shown that children as young as three years old are aware of racial differences between people. By four years of age children examined in these studies have been shown to have the potential of “expressing strongly entrenched race-related values” (3).

Also, it does not take much exposure to racist ideologies for children to ingrain these ideas into their psyche and understanding of others. A recent study has shown that children internalize racist ideas in just a few days (4). Now, just imagine children being exposed to months upon months of sensational coverage and material of Trump and his hateful ideas on social media, radio and television.

The Trump effect and children

Expressions of racism by Trump and his supporters have been having a profound effect on children and their behavior. Teachers report witnessing increases in bullying, intimidation and harassment of students of nationalities, religion and races which have been targeted by the Trump campaign, according to a report released by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment has significantly increased, according to one-third of the teachers surveyed (5).

Pathway to radicalization

Now picture Trump actually winning the Presidency. Imagine these same children experiencing not only months of racist messaging, but four years or even eight years of Trump using the Presidential bully pulpit to spread his hate rhetoric? This would create the perfect fertile soil for radicalization of these children in their teen years. In fact, this is the usual age that white supremacist groups are able to recruit members into their movement.

Many known hate group leaders were radicalized during their teen years. Some of the more notable hate leaders who were radicalized as teenagers include, former KKK leader David Duke, former (now-reformed) neo-Nazi leader Frank Meeink, segregationist leader J.B. Stoner and now-reformed neo-Nazi James Fry (6)(7)(8)(9).

Trump is currently planting seeds for the development of the next crop of white supremacist leaders. The longer he is in power, the stronger the American white supremacist movement will become in the future. None of the other current Presidential candidates would come even close to this type of effect on America's children. 



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