Trumps demonizes anyone who is not for him. He preys on people’s fears, both real and imagined. He intentionally incites hatred, cruelty, and violence. He intentionally foments hatred among the disenfranchised, the disenchanted and the displaced who would otherwise have no identity, no sense of self-worth, no self-respect, other than to believe in him. Trump does everything he can to fan the flames of hatred. There is nothing new about fanning the flames of hatred. In the last century, it’s been done many times. Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Kayibanda, Milosevic. There are others now too. Trump. We have a wildfire burning out of control. Anything can happen. Violence is a most certain outcome.
Like Donald Trump frothing with hatred at a campaign rally, Donna Donato gushes at the Bikers for Trump and is one of the 370,000+ who likes their Facebook Group Page. A recurring theme of her life is rooted in her philosophy—that she is a really good person unless you do her wrong, then she will get you back, bad. She is sort of like Trump. She talks of Law and Order, and, ironically, of morality, but she does not understand morality in all of its complexity.
I have come full circle and learned something by exploring my past in working-class Yonkers. America in all of its diversity, with its multiple belief systems, and its full range of ethnicities and economic stakeholders cannot afford to have a President who is immoral, a hater. A hateful President who intentionally fans the flames of hatred is creating the biggest wildfire any of us have ever seen. More people will get hurt. More people will die. We can hide hate, push it down and squash it, but we can never completely eliminate it. Hate will always rear its ugly head and rage as an uncontrollable fire when it’s given ample opportunity. Trump has been exactly that opportunity. Here is what I do know for certain—the President of the United States must be above all else, moral, a peacemaker, the arbiter of a more perfect union.
About Patricia Vaccarino
Patricia Vaccarino has written award-winning film scripts, press materials, content, books, essays and articles. She is currently writing a collection of essays NOTES FROM THE WORKING-CLASS. She has written two works of fiction about Yonkers: YONKERS Yonkers! A story of race and redemption and its sequel The Heart of Yonkers. Book Three in the Yonkers series is in development. In addition, she frequently writes about libraries, and has written a monograph about the circumstances that led to the razing of the Yonkers Carnegie Library in 1982. She has an audience of 40,000+ followers on social media.
Research Sources:
The real names of *Donna Donato and *Tina Tucci have not been used.
Buzz Feed, James Pogue, Biker Leaders being trained in voter registration techniques.
Think Trump Can’t Win In 2020? These Bikers Want To Change That, September 5, 2019
My Central Jersey, Bikers for Trump meet with President in Bedminster, August 12, 2018
The New Yorker, Can Biden’s Center Hold? August 31, 2020 Issue
The Mercury News FBI reports Firearm Spike in June 2020, July 13, 2020
The Brookings Institution, Three Million More Guns, July 13, 2020
New York Times, Trump Renews Fears of Voter Intimidation as G.O.P. Poll Watchers Mobilize
The Hill, Trump Suggest that thing could get bad if military, police, biker supporters get tough,
You Tube Video, Donald Trump - 'Knock the Crap Out Of Them, I Will Pay For The Legal Fees'
You Tube Video, Donald Trump Says He’d Like to Punch a Protester in the Face
List of Genocides by Death Toll