Since the 45th President of the United States was elected, the country has been engrossed in turmoil. The impact of the 2016 election is like something straight off the big screen. Many incidents have occurred that are reminiscent of times past. Racism without fear of persecution is becoming more and more visible. Individuals who would have never revealed their true feelings about racism during President Obamas’ administration are now coming forward.

Most recently actor James Woods tweeted: “The media onslaught against 'white privilege,' Christianity, 'male toxicity,' all the liberal nonsense, reveals a misstep by those uneducated in the power of history. The one sure thing history has taught us, never declare a race war against a majority. It won’t end well.”

These comments are becoming more and more popular by white men and women in prominent positions. Why? Because the current state of the union indicates that it is acceptable to blatantly disregard marginalized populations. NBC News reported in 2017 that there has been a 20 percent increase in hate crimes since the 2016 election. According to new data reported by the NAACP in 2018, hate crime totals in the country’s 10 largest cities are on the rise. The reported numbers are the highest that this country has seen in the last decade.

University campuses are receiving increased reports of student initiated hate crimes. Black face, nooses, cotton and bananas have made their rounds on a host of campuses. Just a year ago, an African American student at Cornell University was physically assaulted. In the Washington, D.C. metro area, students have reported being harassed. Bowie State University graduating senior Richard Collins III was stabbed as he waited for his Uber at the University of Maryland. He was stabbed by an unknown white assailant by the name of Sean Urbanski.

Could all of these incidents be purely coincidental? Certainly. However, most of these incidents directly line up with the election of the 45th U.S. President. Having the knowledge of these incidents, why hasn’t the current administration identified these homegrown terroristic acts? Why has the President not directly spoken out against these acts? The Twitter finger gangster-in-chief is always silent on issues dealing with racism and his supporters. He refuses to acknowledge attacks on black lives or the heroes who sprang into action to save them. For an individual who always has something to say, even when he is loud and mostly wrong, his silence is deafening. His blatant disregard to acknowledge an aggressively oppressive time that he has helped to usher in is audacious.

James Shaw Jr. is yet to be recognized by the President. However, he thought it appropriate to extend an invitation to Covington High School after they harassed a Native American veteran. Could his favoritism, constant use of white privilege and white supremacy values be any more blatant?

When I view the MAGA hat and those who wear it, I’m deeply triggered. The recent attack on Jussie Smollet and the trolling of democratic elected officials by MAGA supporters is evident. The hat is racist and there is certainly no mistaking it. The MAGA hat allows racists to walk boldly among us.

I don’t claim to believe that all republicans are racist. However, republicans who don the red hat of hatred are certainly “racism friendly,” in my opinion. Until the GOP and the President acknowledge what is obviously happening in this country, we are headed toward the bloodiest time in our lives. I don’t for one moment think that people are going to continue to sit back and wait until it is their turn to be violated. The 2020 election is an opportunity for us to feel the pulse of America and what her citizens are truly made of.

As of now the lines are certainly not blurred. Either you’re pro red hat or you’re not. Either way, there will be no sitting this one out, the red hats have already decided that for all of us. God speed.

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