Trump tried to take the racism out of the confederate flag by claiming that people who like the flag aren’t thinking about slavery.
Trump was asked by CBS News, “You understand why the flag is a painful symbol for many people because it’s a reminder of slavery.”
Trump answered, “People love it. I know people that love the confederate flag and not thinking of slavery. NASCAR, the flags all over the I think it’s freedom of speech, whether it’s confederate flags or black lives matter or anything else you want to talk about. It’s freedom of speech.”
Video:
Trump claims Confederate flags have nothing to do with slavery. pic.twitter.com/320RY92nHW
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) July 14, 2020
Trump’s turn as Mr. First Amendment is especially amusing when one considers that he has spent his entire presidency trying to demean, discredit, and silence the free press. Trump has insulted and retaliated against those who have used their First Amendment right to criticize the administration, and he has shown nothing but contempt for the Constitution.
If the Confederate flag has nothing to do with slavery, then why was the Civil War fought? Trump is trying to untangle the racist symbol from its racist roots. The Confederate flag is a symbol of civil war when the South tried to overthrow the United States government to protect slavery.
Trump is running for reelection on a platform of racism, and in the process, he is spending more time defending the Confederate flag than defending US troops from Russian bounties.
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Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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