Many people are distressed that Mr. Trump's attitudes and actions are not truly American. However, taking a closer look at the history and attitudes of the American people over time, as I described in a recent editorial: one finds that Trump actually reflects what the majority of Americans, and particularly White Americans, have always wanted.
Take for example Mr. Trump's building a wall to keep the Mexicans out. White Americans have always viewed the Mexican culture, as inferior. They see little problems with the abusing Mexicans, Blacks or Moslems. In this action, Mr. Trump is not protecting American jobs; he is keeping the country cleansed from the soiling effects of what he considers lower cultures. In his businesses, there are probably thousands of Mexicans, blacks and Moslems among his employees.
The repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is another position that reflects cultural preferences. In general terms, White Americans are mostly selfish and individualistic. They believe that healthcare should be available only to those who can afford it. The poor are lazy and undeserving. Mr. Trump's actions in preferring private schools to public schools goes in the same vein. Why should we give non-white Americans the same opportunities as us? In addition, White Americans don't believe in the constructive and equalizing power of government. To them, Government is a waste of money and they are working hard to reduce its size and impact.
Another example is his demand for the complete annilation of ISIS. America has invaded and viciously tried to destroy many other countries and cultures in the recent past. Examples include: Iraq, Panama, Venezuela, Vietnam, and several other South American and Asian countries. There is really nothing new here except that America's behavior in the Middle East may have actually contributed to the creation of ISIS in the first place.
As to the withdrawal from NATO and similar alliances, many white Americans believe that it is to their advantage to go to war. After all, we are the strongest nation and have the toughest military on the planet. War has stimulated our economy in the aftermath of both world wars. It keeps our industry humming and our job opportunities growing. No one ever attacked us successfully on our mainland and succeeded (9/11 was just an act of terror). We are not afraid of war, especially when there is no draft. The soldiers enlist from the lower classes and many are non-white and expendable.
As to stopping the flow of refugees, here again there is nothing new. Historically, America has prevented many different types refugees from entering the United States even under the most severe of circumstances. The most frequently sighted example is that of "Saint Louis" a German ship loaded with Jewish German refugees who were denied entry to the United States in 1939. They were desperate and had no place to go. They ended up in Italy. Many of them were later killed in the Holocaust.
Let us face it: America has a culture that is significantly different from that of other countries. It was built through the effects of two cardinal sins: theft of Native American lands and slavery. These two main pillars still affect America's view and attitude towards the world today. That is the underlying reason why many people around the globe associate Americans with arrogance, greed and violence.
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