Introduction
Racism has always been a pressing issue in the United States, which is still prevalent. The beginning of the 20th century bore witness to the re-emergence of ideas of white supremacy. Its most infamous manifestation took place in Charlottesville in 2017. Representatives of far-right ideologies marched, shouting anti-Semitic cries, with one person being killed during the protests. Numerous anti-Trump activists put the blame on him for this rally. In essence, Trump’s actions encouraged the neo-Nazi sentiment, but he is not the reason behind it.
Rise of Internal Extremism
Far-right groups had a strong presence in America even before Trump’s presidential campaign. Despite the prohibition on racist ideology, the Internet allows for the practically unlimited spread of such messages and ideas. The Charlottesville episode itself was broadcast online, thus, raising public awareness of neo-Nazi slogans. Moreover, the Muslim paranoia fueled the white supremacy sentiments, especially after 9/11. HBO’s movie “Charlottesville: Race and Terror” showed a nationalist activist warning that their power is stronger than what is implied by the number of protesters (VICE, 2017). It is evident that racist ideas gathered support on their own since none of these developments were directly influenced by Trump.
Legality of Weapons
One of the reasons why the Charlottesville episode became violent is the government’s permission to buy and carry weapons. According to Johnston (2018), “the NRA and other absolutists say any restrictions on guns violate the Constitution” (p. 234). The legal framework that sets the stage for gun violence had been established long before Trump ran for president. Trump may oppose the views of those who wish to increase guns control, but his opinion is a sentiment that is held by many Americans. The right to keep and bear arms is considered a prerequisite for freedom by both liberals and conservatives. As a result, the permission to carry weapons also means that Charlottesville’s neo-Nazis had legal access to them as well.
Trump’s Personal Attitude
Donald Trump is well-known for his controversial stance on numerous issues, including other nationalities. Part of the reason why he had so much support lies in his capitalizing on public fears of Muslims and immigrants. When the Charlottesville stand-off occurred, he refrained from assigning labels of extremism to the perpetrator. According to Johnston (2018) “Trump made no mention of neo-Nazis, skinheads, and racists” (p. 235). Moreover, Johnston (2018) argues that the president attributed the violence to both sides of the conflict, including the antifascists. Combined with Trump’s alleged likeness for Hitler’s speeches, it is viable to suggest that Trump indirectly motivated the neo-Nazis to act openly.
Conclusion
Altogether, the events in Charlottesville underpinned the rising racist attitude in the United States. It is easy to use Donald Trumps’ demeanor and words to blame him for the unprecedented rise of neo-Nazi sentiment. However, American racism is rooted much deeper, with far-right ideologies becoming prominent without any influence from Trump. The Internet created a platform for spreading extremist beliefs that cannot be controlled by the government. The United States’ laws on possession of weapons lead to aggressive groups being armed and capable of using firearms. Finally, Trump’s choice of words caused the neo-Nazis to interpret it as the president’s encouragement of their actions. Overall, Charlottesville happened because of racism issues in society, with Trump slightly precipitating, but not causing it.
References
Johnston, D. C. (2018). It’s even worse than you think: What the Trump administration is doing to America. Simon & Schuster.
VICE. (2017). Charlottesville: Race and Terror – VICE News Tonight on HBO [Video]. YouTube. Web.