The Stream

Scared state: Fearing a Trump presidency

Groups targeted by Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric grapple with his victory.

Groups in the United States targeted by the xenophobia, racism, and bias unleashed by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign are now dealing with the reality of his victory. There are immediate worries over policy implications: Will there be a ban on Muslims entering the US, as Trump once proposed? Will undocumented immigrants face mass deportation? Will Mexican-Americans be literally walled off from their relatives? Will women lose abortion rights?

On a more personal level, many immigrants, women, Jewish, Muslim, black and Latino people are expressing broader fears about the message Trump’s nearly 60 million voters sent in electing a candidate who openly espoused prejudice and boasted of sexual assault.

Discriminatory incidents surged in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s win. Since Election Day on November 8, the Southern Poverty Law Center has reported at least 700 cases of harassment , including swastika vandalism and backlash against women, LGBT people, Muslims and others. The group also reported a small uptick in anti-Trump incidents. As anxiety builds around the threat of intimidation or harassment, there are early signs of a grassroots response. Anti-Trump protests have been held across the US, and groups opposed to his agenda have seen a surge in donations.

On this episode of The Stream, we’ll hear from a cross-section of voices who feel threatened by Trump’s victory and how they’re organising in response.

Joining this conversation:

Damon Young @VerySmartBros
Editor-in-chief, Very Smart Brothas
verysmartbrothas.com/author/thechamp

Sarina Bajwa @sarina_baj
Graduate Student, Columbia University

Lizeth Urdiales 
Student, University of Texas at Austin
 
Randy Blazak @rblazak
Criminologist, University of Oregon

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