Why aren't they supporting us?

A couple times now I've mentioned Donald Trump's overtures to blacks – "What have you got to lose?" – isn't about blacks but trying to convince white voters he isn't racist. Terrence Heath, who is black (and gay and not Christian), explains things from the receiving end of Trump's remarks.

From the black perspective Trump's comments are backhanded (if one is generous) or they drip with contempt (if one isn't). They've already heard so much racist language from Trump that his contempt for them is already obvious.

That contempt has long been part of the GOP outreach to blacks. That is said loud and clear in such messages as Romney's "If you knew what's good for you, you'd vote for me." Or in the general GOP lament, "Why aren't more of them supporting us?"

The question is never, "What can we do so blacks will want to support us?"

The answer to the question actually asked is easier.

They don’t know what’s good for them. It let’s conservatives off the hook, and puts the onus on African-Americans for being too dumb to know what’s good for us, and thus mindlessly voting for Democrats. The contempt plainly flows from there.
…
If Trump really wanted to reach out to African-Americans, he’d go to where we are and talked directly to us. More importantly, if he really wanted African-American support, he’d listen.

Which means he doesn't care about black voters. He's trying to convince white voters he isn't racist.



Hillary Clinton did a fine speech listing all of the racist things Trump has said and done. What caught Heath's attention is that no GOP politician came to Trump's defense. None denounced him either – none said that they could no longer in good conscience support Trump.

Hillary said Trump is racist. The GOP responded by saying: um, yeah, OK.