Since he began his candidacy, Donald Trump’s rhetoric has been dangerous and divisive. Yesterday at a rally in the Lehigh Valley, new video footage caught Trump’s supporters shouting insults at a woman in a hijab, calling her a “terrorist.”
“Donald Trump’s dangerous rhetoric towards Muslims threatens the safety of so many citizens of the United States, as evidenced by this video,” said Brandon Cwalina, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. “Unfortunately, Donald Trump’s supporters are taking their queue directly from Donald Trump who has used dangerous and divisive rhetoric against Muslims including a Gold Star family who lost their son. Even though our country was founded on freedom of religion, Trump has called for an ban on an entire religion from entering the country. Trump’s words and actions are not only unpresidential but his actions are having real consequences on children.”
Donald Trump has made no apologies to the growing list of people that he has offended since the launch of his hate-filled campaign. Trump’s divisive rhetoric has encouraged an increase in hurtful behavior and intimidation that is being reported in communities across the country. Experts are calling it the “Trump Effect,” and the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that Trump’s campaign “is producing an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of color and inflaming racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom.”
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WFMZ: Trump rally takes controversial turn in Lehigh Valley
By Kevin Lechiski – October 29, 2016
SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa.69 – A rally for Donald Trump along a busy road in Lehigh County takes a confrontational turn.
Insults are heard being yelled at a woman wearing a Hijab which covers her head while the car she’s riding goes past the rally at Cedar Crest and Hamilton boulevards in South Whitehall Township.
“You look like a terrorist, take off your veil,” one Trump supporter chanted.
A verbal exchange between some of the ralliers and the driver of the car was seen as the word “terrorist” was shouted.
From people we spoke with at the rally, it’s not entirely clear what may have prompted the exchange.
One of the Trump supporters tells us someone in the car appeared to be giving dirty looks as the vehicle went by then one of the people at the rally began yelling at the car.
One of the organizers tells us local Trump supporters regularly hold rallies that are peaceful and well-received.
“As you can hear from the beeping and everything else, it’s primarily positive,” said organizer Tom Carroll. “Of course you have the negative, the people with the thumbs down, but what I find most offensive is the people who will curse and scream at children. We have a lot of children, we have women, we have people of every ethnicity here.”
Organizers say about 100 people were at today’s rally.