Shithole Country Comment or Not its Not Worth Debating: Native People Know Trumps BEEN a Racist

this is a great wall

President Richard Nixon

Exchange With Reporters at the Great Wall of China. February 24, 1972

Donald Trump is a master of distraction. He seems to always say something outrageous that fires up his base while liberal news outlets serve as his publicists, repeating his words over and over and over and over and over again. Right now, folk are debating whether or not he said "Why do we want all these people from shithole countries coming here?" This supposed comment, they say, is evidence that Trump is indeed a racist.

Representative John Lewis said, when talking about Trumps purported shithole comment, I think he is a racist.

With all do respect to Lewis and everyone else who somehow still needs convincing, Duh. Do ya think? Thats a lot like observing that the Great Wall of China is, well, a great wall. In China.

One of the problems, I suppose, of being a community that reflects a tiny minority of the US population is that people simply dont pay attention to you even when it would benefit them. Before the alleged shithole nations comment. Irrespective of the shithole nations comment. Native people have been sounding the alarm for decades, telling the world that Trump is racist and perhaps they should watch out. Yet, no one seemed to listen becausewell who listens to Natives anyway? And then, as the result of not listening to those Natives, folks end up saying hilarious stuff about Trump like I think he is a racist. Anderson Cooper cried his white tears to speak of how noble and resilient the people of Haiti were, and therefore not deserving of the shithole nations designation. At least Don Lemon had the insight to say that a lot of people already knew that Trump was racist and shout out to Charles Blow for keeping it 100% honest and saying, unequivocally, that Trump is a racist and that Those are just facts, supported by the proof of the words that keep coming directly from him.

Maybe those folks listened to Natives. 20-some years ago. If not, they should have.

Trump has repeatedly said untrue disgusting lies about Native for decades hoping to harm Native communities. For example, in 1993 on the Don Imus show (remember him?), Trump was talking about the Ramapough Tribe and said, "Well, I think I might have more Indian blood than a lot of the so-called Indians that are trying to open up the reservations. Also in 1993, Trump was trying to sink the Mashantucket Pequot gaming operation testifying before the House Native American Affairs Subcommittee. He urged Subcommittee members to go up to Connecticut and look at the Mashantucket Pequots. He said about them, "They don't look like Indians to me." He also said, at that same testimony, that Native communities will be sanctuaries of organized crime and will be the biggest scandal ever, the biggest since Al Capone. He continued, "You have a group of Indians in Connecticut. I've heard $300 [million] to $400 million. They don't pay taxes. Why not distribute the money to other Indians?... I believe this tribe has 300, 400 members. Do you think it's appropriate for 300 [members], who lucked out with a location between New York and Boston, shouldn't give some of the money out to others?"

Mashantucket Pequot officials called Trump racist all the way back then. Since that time, Trumps had the whole Pocahontas thing three or four times, Navajo Code Talkers and all kinds of stupid and racist stuff against Natives. But were talking decades ago, when Native people first began screaming how horrible this dude was.

Obviously since that time, not many have escaped his racist wrath. Mexicans, Central Americans, Muslims, Africans and Haitians all have seen that this man consistently displays racist behavior. And I guess thats validating, in the same way its validating when you go to the doctor and they tell you that you really do have a stress fracture and its not just you being lazy. It still hurts, but at least youre not crazy. For years it felt like Trump was gaslighting Native people; here we are, Native people seeing that this man is a racist asshole but yet no one else seems to get it! Even 25 years later, some folks only think that hes a racist. At least now, everyone is starting to see it and perhaps we can strategize and work together.

But wouldnt it be nice (and beneficial!!) if folks simply relied upon Native peoples ability to recognize racism instead of needing other peoples confirmation?

Gyasi Ross is a father, an author and a storyteller. He is a member of the Blackfeet (Amskapipikuni) Nation and his family also comes from the Suquamish Nation. He is the co-host of the Breakdances With Wolves: Indigenous Pirate Radio podcast. He can be reached at Instagram and Twitter at: @BigIndianGyasi