Trump's remarks about immigrants changing European culture draw ire

@theFu Trump's faults aren't as huge as Hillary's, thus he was elected. And he has been amazingly successful even with zero support from the Democrats. The people are sick and tired of the same old same old from our politicians.

Trump was in trouble in the past for not renting to black people.

So, in 1972-73, Trump's company didn't want to rent apartments to black people. It was a different time. Haven't you changed some of your attitudes since the early 1970s?

That's like blaming "The Greatest Generation", who had extremely racists ideas about anyone who wasn't white, for holding those attitudes before the 1960s.

Or how Japan is with their immigration laws.

Attitudes change. People change.

President Trump was in his 20s. His father was teaching him the business and likely told him not to rent to blacks to avoid problems. All of this was against the law at the time. The fact that prosecutors didn't make them admit any wrong-doing and just fined them says something about the prevailing attitudes from those years.

Was he a racist in the early 1970s? Probably. What we do know is that his company didn't want to rent apartments to black people. That is fact.

Is he a racist today or 10 yrs ago or 20 yrs ago? I don't know. I do know that he is a liar about important and trivial things. I do know that he has cheated on his wife multiple times.

Trump ran on a few ideas. He was elected even when people knew many of his huge faults and has tried to keep those promises. He has been unsuccessful primarily due to his failure to convince enough people in Congress that those ideas are good. He's always been the boss, being able to get his way on a command. That isn't how politics works and I don't think President Trump will learn it.

"If the US hadn't welcomed European immigrants back then, Trump wouldn't have been born in America"

True! So? Trump isn't against legal immigration, against ILLEGAL immigration.

But from Trump's comment, seems he doesn't make a distinction because LEGAL immigration will STILL change European culture

Europe accepts a lot of legal immigrants including refugees. Trump appears to be warning Europe not to be so accepting of so many immigrants, legal or otherwise

@zichi,

You really need to stop fixating on the costs and troop numbers in Europe.

If a sustained war breaks out in Europe, do you really think that the US will fight using only the troops and equipment physically stationed there? Those troops are meant to hold out until the bulk of the forces can arrive from the US and other bases around the world.

Not physically spending money in Europe does not mean it is not being spent on the defense of Europe. You've really got to broaden your views on defense spending.

"If the US hadn't welcomed European immigrants back then, Trump wouldn't have been born in America"

True! So? Trump isn't against legal immigration, against ILLEGAL immigration.

"Proof: Muslim ban"

Question for nishikat: How come Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, isn't affected by the "Muslim" ban?

Steve Says: Elitists disapprove of Trump's disrupt-orama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E3OV2hxqps

Trump, the grandson of a German immigrant and the son of a Scottish immigrant to the United States

At the turn of the 19th Century, Americans thought the same of European immigrants

If the US hadn't welcomed European immigrants back then, Trump wouldn't have been born in America

Again, Europe pay your fair share.

The problem is Europe is not going to and they are just laughing at Trump in the face. Just like Mexico won't pay for the wall. Trump also failed in his zero tolerance immigration policy, and that gives the greenlight to cross those borders (with no Trump wall). This is on top of Trump's failed Muslim ban.

Trump is a serial liar.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/02/16/military-spending-by-nato-members

Actually, I think the left are the serial liars

The United States has a point in noting that its commitment is disproportionately large. Last year it spent 3.6% of its GDP on defence, the highest ratio of any NATO member (and the highest total military budget in the world by a hefty margin). That is almost double the target of 2% of GDP that NATO members all agreed to in 2006. At the time six members reached the threshold; last year five did. Such gripes are hardly new. Since the 1970s numerous American presidents have complained about military “free-riding” by the country′s European allies. The differences between NATO members′ defence budgets grew larger following the end of the cold war, as some countries rushed to claim a peace dividend faster than others. Budget-tightening after the 2008 financial crisis has continued the trend.

Again, Europe pay your fair share.

Not dishonest at all and not its entire NDB, but more than anyone else, pay your fair share.

90% of the American society at that time thought the mid 1950s were a "wonderful times."

Happy Days mythology. The '50s were a wonderful time b/c under Ike top marginal tax rates were 90%. Now we bow down to the master's carriage as it passes by and wonder why our lives are horrible--oh wait, blame the brown and disenfranchised.

Yes, President Trump would make a fine racist if only Muslims were a race.......

90% of the American society at that time thought the mid 1950s were a "wonderful times." Up until the mid 1960s, the U.S. was a more stable society with a higher degree of law and order than today. The country as a whole were confident of their identity, culture and future. The illegal alien/immigration problems then were nowhere near as wildly out of control as it is today. People then viewed themselves as AMERICANs, not "African-American", "Asian-Americans", "Arab-Americans", "Jewish-Americans", "Latino-Americans", etc.

And yet the segregation in society at the time is regarded as some of the worst of the twentieth century. I have no doubt that for white America what you say is true. I have no doubt that for the rest it isn't.

By the way, the truth, as difficult as it is to accept, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Stokley Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, etc., were not saints; they were racists themselves and encouraged civil disobedience and anarchy; they only differed in their approach. Even Roy Wilkins, then head of the NAACP, disagreed with their militancy. 

And? I didn't say they were saints. They ARE still regarded as heroes though. Try telling women that the people involved in the suffrage movement weren't heroes.

the leftists/liberals will say his remarks are racial and he is a racist.

Proof: Muslim ban

“The United States has been paying a tremendous amount, probably 90 percent of the cost of NATO,” he erroneously said. 

Pretty much spot on.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/02/16/military-spending-by-nato-members

High volume unregulated immigration is distabilizing for the indigenous population. We are seeing that in both Europe and the US. Ordered and gradual immigration is revitalizing for a culture because it allows for the indigenous culture to take the best and most compatible portions of the outside culture in order to strengthen their own.

Healthy immigration is not what the political Left in the West are interested in. They truly believe that Western culture is more bad than good. They want to fundamentally transform it by deligitimization and displacement. This effort has led to support of unregulated immigration and an emphasis on differences over commonalities. The power of Western cultural thought is its emphasis on the rights of individuals. It has allowed the culture to continuously improve itself by appealing to the commonalities of all human beings. No other culture in human history has taken this route.

This attack on Western culture is best seen in identity politics. Identity politics makes support of unregulated immigration an imperative for the Left. It has led to horrible outcomes like the Rotherham sexual exploitation of young English girls. The local authorities were paralyzed in confronting a foreign cultural practice because they were unwilling to risk being attacked themselves by upholding their Western values.

No matter what Trump says, the leftists/liberals will say his remarks are racial and he is a racist.

Trump's comments about immigration "changing the culture of Europe" is not so much about racial ethnicity, but about integration of cultural, customs and traditions from countries (especially from Middle East, Latin American and Asia) that are fundamentally different from Western Europe and threatens to change the European culture to the point where it will lose its unique identity and culture.

Someone gets it.

Ah yes, the mid-20th century. The wonderful times before Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Akin to a beacon of perfect racial harmony

90% of the American society at that time thought the mid 1950s were a "wonderful times."  Up until the mid 1960s, the U.S. was a more stable society with a higher degree of law and order than today. The country as a whole were confident of their identity, culture and future. The illegal alien/immigration problems then were nowhere near as wildly out of control as it is today.  People then viewed themselves as AMERICANs, not "African-American", "Asian-Americans", "Arab-Americans", "Jewish-Americans", "Latino-Americans", etc.

Obviously liberals only focus on the narrow aspects and the malcontents, rather than the nation as a whole.

By the way, the truth, as difficult as it is to accept, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Stokley Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, etc., were not saints; they were racists themselves and encouraged civil disobedience and anarchy; they only differed in their approach.  Even Roy Wilkins, then head of the NAACP, disagreed with their militancy. 

The liberals and Democrats in the 2020 U.S. elections will make immigration a major issues and divide the country, only this time using the Latinos as their "cat's paws" instead of the Blacks.

So you’re okay with Trump retweeting dodgy racist material.

He's an adult, it's irrelevant if I approve or not, can't stop him, he does whatever he wants to do.

@Bass

So you’re okay with Trump retweeting dodgy racist material.

Ok. That’s all I asked.

You wouldn’t dismiss that person as trash as well as laughing? 

Linking to dodgy KKK videos, or any racist group for that matter, would bring no sense of revulsion at all?

I could care less what crazy liberals think.

Yes, but I’m putting forward the old-fashioned idea that when giving opinions, it is a good idea to use facts to support your argument

Yes, that is true, but I wish liberals would stick to that sound advice.

- not dodgy trash you find on the net from racists. It tends to weaken your argument, inflame decent people and make you look like rancid garbage. 

Again, the left do this on a day by day basis and yet, there is No outcry and they get away with it.

It’s just the way I was brought up and educated. Maybe times have changed.

Same here and yes, times have indeed changed.

This is especially happening in the U.S. What was once "American" culture is now being overrun by the multitude of diverse cultures to the point where the U.S. is becoming increasingly culturally fragmented and no longer recognizable as the "America" it once was when the country was at its peak in the mid-20th century.

Ah yes, the mid-20th century. The wonderful times before Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Akin to a beacon of perfect racial harmony.

No matter what Trump says, the leftists/liberals will say his remarks are racial and he is a racist.

Trump's comments about immigration "changing the culture of Europe" is not so much about racial ethnicity, but about integration of cultural, customs and traditions from countries (especially from Middle East, Latin American and Asia) that are fundamentally different from Western Europe and threatens to change the European culture to the point where it will lose its unique identity and culture.

There was a time a long time ago when one emigrates to a new country and becomes a "naturalized citizen",  he/she accepted and assimilated to that country's customs, language and culture.

Nowadays, with the liberals' political correctness insistence on diversity, there is no incentive to accept and assimilate. Instead, today's immigrants are encouraged to retain and even impose their cultural ethnicity through legislation without respect or regards to their new country of residence.  

This is especially happening in the U.S. What was once "American" culture is now being overrun by the multitude of diverse cultures to the point where the U.S. is becoming increasingly culturally fragmented and no longer recognizable as the "America" it once was when the country was at its peak in the mid-20th century.

Trump is trying to warn Europe not to go down the same path.

Everyone knows Trump is racist. Some support it, some don’t.

Another illiterate article that thinks the UK and England are the same thing.

Cultures have continually changed, with and without the help from immigrants. A cultural change isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when people want to appear nationalist to camouflage their racism or xenophobia, this is what they turn to - protect the traditions! We are losing our way of life!

It's pure hysteria and it's ridiculous. There's a governmental party in my country, Denmark, who wants to force daycares to serve pork once or twice a week, because that's apparently an important tradition. It's beyond stupid and only serves to cause diversion, distrust and hatred.

And Trump’s daughter married a Jew in a Jewish ceremony.

Surely, that shows more than average acceptance-no?

Not in the least. I might be an African-American, married to a Japanese in a Christian ceremony and absolutely despise Indians. That would make me racist. It's not like there are only Jewish and non Jewish.

Once again, proof of Trump's long standing bigotry.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/report-trump-said-haitians-all-have-aids.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/12/unkind-divisive-elitist-international-outcry-over-trumps-sh*thole-countries-remark

https://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/28/politics/donald-trump-barack-obama-birth-certificate-nyt/index.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/12/racism-and-donald-trump-a-common-thread-throughout-his-career-and-life

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/us/politics/donald-trump-housing-race.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/opinion/why-trump-doubled-down-on-the-central-park-five.html

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trumps-long-history-of-racism-201446/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/08/donald-trump-latino-vote-mexico-immigration

@ Jimizo

And what was the reason for not renting to that group?

Maybe, it was the ability to secure a guarantor?

More info please.

And Trump’s daughter married a Jew in a Jewish ceremony.

Surely, that shows more than average acceptance-no?

In addition, I am sure that President Trump has many many different colored staff working at his properties and in the White House.

Plenty of African Americans at his rallies too;the same goes for the EDLwith ethnic minorities included!

Someone show how Trump is a racist (rather than opines) and I’ll accept the proof.

I’d propose that Trump is not a racist-how can he be when he and his family marry different religious faiths (Jews) and he is married to a lady from Eastern Europe?

You can still be a racist and an anti-Semite. You can still work with and employ people of different races, cultures and be a bigot.

https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/jerusalem-s-anti-semitism-forum-comes-at-a-critical-time-for-jews-1.5911825

https://www.timesofisrael.com/stephen-bannon-5-things-jews-need-to-know/

Fascist sympathisers like the EDL often carry Israel flags on marches.

Things aren't as absolute as some would have us believe.

I don't know. I'm not calling him racist. I'm debating your argument.

And what race has Trump not shown to be accepting of?

Trump was in trouble in the past for not renting to black people.

And what race has Trump not shown to be accepting of?

Thankyou Trump for saying the truth.

I’d propose that Trump is not a racist-how can he be when he and his family marry different religious faiths (Jews) and he is married to a lady from Eastern Europe?

I think Haaa Nemui answered that one.

Also, I never called Trump a racist. I said he retweeted racists. Maybe he isn’t a racist but retweets racists to play to his base. Seems plausible to me.

I’m just flabbergasted that Trump supporters can’t bring themselves to criticize Trump for retweeting dodgy videos from racists.

I find it very disturbing.

I’d propose that Trump is not a racist-how can he be when he and his family marry different religious faiths (Jews) and he is married to a lady from Eastern Europe?

Accepting one race is not the same as accepting all.

I’d propose that Trump is not a racist-how can he be when he and his family marry different religious faiths (Jews) and he is married to a lady from Eastern Europe?

However, Trump will always be a “racist piece of garbage”

even when the facts show otherwise.

Look at all the problems there are in Europe that didn’t exist even 10 years ago.

Not to mention, say, 1938 - Ah, what a golden era of peace! Really, you could throw a dart randomly at a calendar predating 1945 and be unable to hit a year where some Europeans were not slaughtering others somewhere.

Problems are all in perspective.

@jimzo It’s very depressing to see the extremes of both sides acting in this way.

I agree, and also depressing to see paid flamers take either extreme side to further intensify the issues. Some governments are paying trolls to send divisive messages, and extremists - on both sides - are affected by them. Doesn't say much for the thinking skills of extremists, does it. Nor the flamers.

It’s no laughing matter that more hate groups are emerging, that hate is spawning more hate.

In Europe, the rise of the far right was fueled by frankly idiotic immigration policies. Merkel was talking about the failure of multi-culturalism along with other European leaders before opening the floodgates and then extolling the ideas of multi-culturalism. Perhaps she was recoiling from charges of being labeled a fascist or looking to build a fourth Reich from idiots on the left - who knows?

I get the sense the tactic of labeling people racists and fascists is starting to lose its power. Certain elements of the left squeal it too much. It runs down the language.

As for true racist garbage like the people Trump likes to follow and retweet on the net, they need to be called out for what they are.

I’ve been asking what Trump supporters think about him retweeting dodgy videos from known racists for days on this site. Not one could criticize this behaviour. Morally bankrupt, spineless partisans

It’s very depressing to see the extremes of both sides acting in this way.

@bas4 But we would laugh because the KKK are as irrelevant as Tower Records.

It’s NO laughing matter, except perhaps to those who support them, that groups like the KKK remain ‘relevant’ today. It’s no laughing matter that hate groups like the KKK are still ‘relevant’. It’s no laughing matter that more hate groups are emerging, that hate is spawning more hate.

@yakya maintaining fixed false beliefs even when confronted with facts, usually as a result of mental illness

I agree with you that many ideologues are fact averse. Look at how fake news is being used by authoritarian regimes around the world and how many people accept the stories. Think about ‘Pizzagate’, think about how many posters on this site try to spread fake news stories, like Obama is a Muslim among so many others.

I don’t know where you’re getting the definition used above, but if you include true believers, those who blindly follow a leader they think is a savior, be that person religious or political, for example people who join cults of personality (modern day think Trump, Putin, Erdogan, Duterte etal) then I partially agree that could be considered a mental illness. Or it could be they’re intellectually challenged. Or it could be they’re paid puppets flaming for their personal saviors.

European culture is changing. People are more ready to come together and stand up against bigotry without fear of being labelled mentally ill or loony left.

The Left cannot practice what they preach because they don't understand their total hypocrisy because they are all emotionally redundant. A collection of delusional nitwits. Delusional:Delusional- adjective having false or unrealistic beliefs or opinions Psychiatry: maintaining fixed false beliefs even when confronted with facts, usually as a result of mental illness

A racist narcissistic pathological liar who cannot distinguish between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, who thinks Scoaland is not part of the UK is not someone I'd look to for facts.

The President is correct. Look at all the problems there are in Europe that didn’t exist even 10 years ago.

Countries that are enforcing their borders or restricting legal immigration to a firm number per year seem to not have as many problems.

The truth hurts, but President Trump is once again correct.

No, he’s right and he’s thoughtful and I think he should be as vocal as possible, Europe can do what it wants I respect that and if they want to have open borders, more power to them, but I want legal immigration for the US and if you are illegal, then wait our turn and follow all the proper procedures.

Yes, but I’m putting forward the old-fashioned idea that when giving opinions, it is a good idea to use facts to support your argument - not dodgy trash you find on the net from racists. It tends to weaken your argument, inflame decent people and make you look like rancid garbage.

It’s just the way I was brought up and educated. Maybe times have changed.

Even Trump's antedeluvian mind hints at a point of progress. It was in my parent's generation that there was no "Europe" - just a colliding collection of historical hatred and racial prejudice. One doesn't have to look too far back in American history to find panic about immigration regarding almost any non-English population (Irish, Italians, etc.)

Trump's 72. One can forgive, perhaps, such an old man his prejudices - but one certainly should not be led by them.

Let’s leave the debate open and let’s not forget the obvious;mass migration into Europe is changing the larger cities......

immigration is "changing the culture" of Europe 

Possibly, but so does technology, scientific progress, the decline of religion, the EU and dozens of other trends/factors which are shaping today's & tmrw's Europe.

Imagine a leader from Europe posting his or her opinion about immigration in the US by linking to dodgy KKK vidoes on Twitter. That leader would be rightly ridiculed and treated as garbage by all decent US citizens on both sides of the debate. 

But we would laugh because the KKK are as irrelevant as Tower Records.

You wouldn’t dismiss that person as trash as well as laughing?

Linking to dodgy KKK videos, or any racist group for that matter, would bring no sense of revulsion at all?

The debate about immigration is a very serious one. 

For us as well.

Imagine a leader from Europe posting his or her opinion about immigration in the US by linking to dodgy KKK vidoes on Twitter. That leader would be rightly ridiculed and treated as garbage by all decent US citizens on both sides of the debate. 

But we would laugh because the KKK are as irrelevant as Tower Records.

Opinions backed up with facts from serious and thoughtful people from all sides of the debate are welcome. 

Trump is not a serious and thoughtful person, and facts are alien to him. 

Best to shut up in this case.

No, he’s right and he’s thoughtful and I think he should be as vocal as possible, Europe can do what it wants I respect that and if they want to have open borders, more power to them, but I want legal immigration for the US and if you are illegal, then wait our turn and follow all the proper procedures.

While immigration is usually very good for the migrants it isn't always good for the natives. Ask the Australian Aborigines, the North American First People or even the Ainu. There are countries that are overrun by refugees/migrants who are looked after while the local inhabitants are going hungry and sleeping on the streets.

The debate about immigration is a very serious one.

Imagine a leader from Europe posting his or her opinion about immigration in the US by linking to dodgy KKK vidoes on Twitter. That leader would be rightly ridiculed and treated as garbage by all decent US citizens on both sides of the debate.

Opinions backed up with facts from serious and thoughtful people from all sides of the debate are welcome.

Trump is not a serious and thoughtful person, and facts are alien to him.

Best to shut up in this case.

No doubt Trump considers himself the pinnacle of white Euro-American culture. Imagine wanting to preserve that from the taint of barbarians.

Immigrants change everywhere they settle, especially when large numbers arrive and don't integrate with the existing cultures.

They don't replace the existing cultures, but add to them. Humans have been merge cultures for thousands of years, when they choose to mix.

We are better together, especially when the immigrants are invited and legal. But the different cultures have amazing aspects, regardless. Most cultures have negative aspects as well.

For example, I can do without noise pollution from any religions.

President Trump is right.

Trump is unbelievably simple-minded. He just doesn't get it. Donald 'The Embarrassment' Trump continues to foment hatred and division, the only thing he knows how to do.