TOW 19- Donald Trump stumbles on David Duke, KKK

For my TOW I read the article, "Donald Trump stumbles on David Duke, KKK". This article discusses a CNN interview with Donald Trump, where Trump refuses to disavow the KKK and one of its members, David Duke. When asked, Trump claimed, "I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don't know. I don't know-did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists". Even though he claimed to 'know nothing', he actually did, as in 2000 he briefly supported the Reform Party, that David Duke was a part of. Many political candidates responded angrily to Trumps comments. Rubio said, "We cannot be the party tat nominates someone who refuses to condemn white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan...not only is that wrong, it makes him unelectable..don't tell me he doesn't know what the Klu Klux Klan is. This is serious". Donald Trump is a terrible person who should not be even considered as a presidential candidate, much less leading the Republican polls, but he is. Why? Because we put him there. Presidential candidates don't vote themselves president, we do. The public is who votes for these candidates, and this is who we have chose to represent us. A man, who wants to remove 11 million people from their homes and send them to Mexico, separating families because their children are consider citizens and they aren't. A person who wants to ban Muslims from entering our country, because he claims that they are an inherently angry people and that they are terrorists. He isn't even able to denounce the KKK and its members, a group which supports white supremacy, and murders and terrorizes African Americans, because they feel they are 'not equal'. The United States should be ashamed that we are supporting a person with these ideas to become president, a position that is supposed to represent America. Our society is so obsessed with entertainment, that we are refusing to see what people like Donald Trump really stand for. We have even let entertainment control our presidential campaign, so much so that we might actually let someone like Donald Trump become president. With the ideals of equality and proper morals that America is so proud of, Donald Trump shouldn't even be a consideration. We can't have a president that won't even properly denounce the KKK, or even admit to knowledge of them. America needs to wake up, and fast, or we will see Donald Trump become president, and witness the casualties from it.

TOW #18-Political Cartoon

This political cartoon illustrates three religious figures, Muhammad, Buddha, and Jesus. They are discussing how their followers are doing terrible things in their name, and claiming that these religions support their acts. First, there is Muhammad, a Muslim religious figure. Terrorists, such as those in ISIS, claim that their violent actions are in the name of Muhammad and the support of an Islamic nation. Buddha says how upset he is about the ethnic cleansing in Burma, where Buddhists massacred and kidnapped Muslims in an effort to 'cleanse' Burma of 'impurities'. Lastly, Jesus chimes in, overwhelmed with the concept of the Crusades and the Inquisition, where Christians led wars in 'honor' of their God. This cartoon helps to bring up the issue of how violent people can be when it comes to their religion, and how many people will try to justify their actions through their religion, even when it is not supported or condoned in any way. Some people of each religion believe that their religion is the best and the only true way, and like to prove their religion's superiority, and it leads to a great lack of tolerance and peace. Most religions have peace as one of their main ideals, yet many choose to act in the opposite way, and try to excuse their violent actions by claiming that they are doing what their religion tells them to. Why can't we live in peace, and accept each other for who they are, and not excuse foul actions in the name of a religion? This is not only a global issue, but a national one as well. One example is Donald Trump's proposals on immigration. He wants to shut out all Muslims, because he claims that most are likely to be terrorists. When in fact, in groups such as ISIS, are not only made up of Muslims, but from people across the world and of varying religions, there were even ISIS members from America. Since when was Islam a religion of violence and hate? Many Muslims denounce ISIS, saying that those who kill and terrorize others are not true to the Muslim faith, and are not Muslims, even if they claim themselves so. This separation and fighting amongst religions must come to an end, and soon. Or as John Lennon put it, "Imagine...Nothing to kill or die for/ and no religion too/ Imagine all the people/ living life in peace"(John Lennon "Imagine").