"Thank You Donald Trump" - A Mexican American reflects on Donald's visit to San Jose

View fullsize

Donald addresses his supporters in San Jose. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage) 

By Tino Barragan | @TinoBarragan

Recently there were some protesters that became somewhat violent against Trump supporters in San Jose, California. I am a Mexican American, born and raised in the Bay Area. So naturally, I paid close attention to the details in SJ, CA.

After the outbursts, I watched Trump and other Republican analysts call these protesters "thugs" over and over and over again. It's pretty ironic though. There are many different types of thugs. Red versus blue sounds very familiar. Often times those colors are associated with street gangs. But in this instance the colors represent political gangs. Neither party is immune to being called a gang.

That would make Trump and some of his supporters thugs as well. Only they don't act like thugs in the streets. They act like thugs on TV, radio, behind a computer, and while in office. Their weapons of choice are money, fear, and power.

Donald Trump, is singling out and offending many groups. Mexicans, Muslims, Women, the LGBT community... the list goes on. In regards to Mexicans and Mexican Americans, he's talked about roundups and building a wall. He's even made statements that the Mexicans crossing over the border are a bunch of criminals and rapists. Then he has the audacity to say that a Mexican American judge cannot do his job and see beyond color. Think about all the civil rights cases throughout history and those who presided over those cases. Nonsense.

Trump has made countless Mexicans feel desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. He has insulted generations of hard-working, family oriented Mexicans and Mexican Americans who are simply trying to create a prosperous life for their families. Trump doesn't even acknowledge the violence and corruption in the streets of Mexico. Those problems are the reasons that the majority of Mexicans are fleeing from Mexico. There is no softness or kindness in Trump's words.  Mexicans have watched him upset decades of progression to the point where we are now starting to move backwards.

Trump pushed, and a handful of people pushed back with physicality instead of with their votes and words. Then Trump and his thugs have the nerve to mock our protesters on television. This isn't right. Border control (ALL BORDERS) is an issue of concern. But not only is he insulting people, he's in effect threatening them in many ways too. The manner in which he is handling this situation is out of control and his actions are getting worse every day.

I don't support the violence at all. But I fully understand the desperation and pain behind it. Trump doesn't get to act innocently when it's his actions and words that are causing the problems. Trump supported violence when it was his supporters acting out. But now he's trying to flip flop, AGAIN, with the hope of distracting the American people from the real problems.

I urge any person that Trump has angered to please stop the violence. Trump wants you to act violently. HE NEEDS YOU TO ACT VIOLENTLY. He is smiling in our faces because the violence is happening. Trump and his group of thugs are calling us thugs so that we'll act violently again. Don't fall for it!!!!!

I will say that I have agreed with Trump when he talks about keeping jobs in America. Leveling the playing field for the companies that receive huge tax benefits when they go overseas is something I see as a top priority. I couldn't agree with him more on this topic. But there's no way I'm going to sacrifice my integrity as a human being to vote for Trump because of one topic. A topic that he doesn't even have a well thought out plan for yet. His history of racist, sexist, and divisive comments towards all kinds of people is the exact type of mentality I have taught my son to fight against. 

As I see it, there are two types of Trump supporters that have been uncovered. This is why I'm thanking Donald Trump. I thank him for giving the American people an accurate understanding of the people who think like he speaks and the people who are willing to follow him blindly even though they know deep down in their soul that Trump is completely unfit and unqualified to be the president of the United States. There's desperation in that type of support too. To be blunt, I don't know which type of supporter is scarier. But to Trump's credit he's uncovered some truths that would have taken decades, if not an entire generation to uncover.

Trump has also helped speed up the process for Americans to unify. It's better to know who your attacker is then to have them lay silently in the bushes waiting to attack you from behind. People across the United States striving for equality now know what we're truly up against. It's absolutely disappointing and disheartening to know that so many millions of people actually support Trump regardless of the reason why. Even though he has mentioned a couple of ideas that I agree with, I could never support somebody who is so openly despicable in multiple ways.

To be clear, I am a Bernie Sanders supporter. He has been so consistent over the past few decades with his passion to help all people. He has consistently tried to keep our veterans out of harm's way when it was unnecessary to send them in front of flying bullets. I believe Bernie is genuinely trying to change a corrupt system.

Trump and Bernie do have a couple of things in common. They both surprised the entire country with the success they've had in their campaigns. Both are changing the way this country views politics and campaigns. Both have created awareness. But that's where the similarities end. In regards to core values, Trump is nowhere near the man that Bernie Sanders is and he will never be close.

The amount of momentum that Bernie Sanders has gained over the past few months has been equally tremendous and surprising. The Democratic party needs to understand that this momentum is not going to end with Bernie's campaign. There is a whole new generation of independent minded voters that are going to change the future of America for the benefit of all people. It's a beautiful thing to watch unfold.

I thought that Obama winning the presidency in 2008 would change the way politics are conducted forever. That did happen, but nowhere near to the degree of this election process in my opinion. Sanders is on one end, Trump on the other. Both are speeding up the evolution and progress of this country, only in very different ways. Hilary will probably limp across the finish line to become president. She is qualified. She is a better option than Trump. It would be hard not to be better. This country needs Bernie but it may have realized it a little too late.

So from the bottom of my heart Donald Trump, I want to thank you for speeding up the process of transparency. Human beings of all genders, races, political parties, etc... we all now know the uphill battle we have moving forward against your like-minded individuals as well as blind followers who will do anything to make sure your gang of thugs wins an election.

I am taking a chance that I will offend some people, friends, and maybe even family members. That is not my intention. I want to be as fair as I can to all people. But the division Trump is promoting is being strongly supported by many. There is always more than one way to do something. But the Trump way is the wrong way.

A fight is exactly what is going on here in this presidential election campaign. Fear and desperation are at the forefront of it all. I'm tired of only emptily talking about. This message is the only way I can try to make a difference. This message may not mean a thing to anyone when it's all said and done. But at least I can say I tried to do something to push back against Trump's harmful actions with my words.

If and when the time comes where Bernie Sanders has been defeated by Hilary Clinton, I will end up voting for Hilary. It won't be because I am blindly following the blue gang.  It will be because Trump is simply that wrong for America and Hilary is the better option.

I do believe in Bernie Sanders. I would vote for him over Obama right now if the two men were running against each other even though I am very happy with the job Obama has done. That just represents how refreshing and forward thinking Bernie's mentality is to me. Both parties have some best practices that we should combine. Until that happens, anybody but Trump!!! Thank you again Donald "The Thug" Trump for helping to make this country transparent. As long as your divisive and insulting actions don't land you and your thugs in the White House, I thank you with all my heart.