Racists cheer as Trump pushes dangerous ‘white genocide’ myth

Racists are excited that Trump used the power of the American presidency to promote and popularize a bogus “white genocide” conspiracy theory.

In a late night tweet responding to a “Tucker Carlson Tonight” segment on Fox News, Trump wrote, “I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers.”

Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, who has been an outspoken Trump supporter, wrote “Thank you” to Trump for his tweet, and urged him to take in white South Africans as refugees.

It is alarming that the president of the United States would take policy cues from an ill-informed and bigoted TV show — but even worse, Trump’s basic claim is totally wrong, and based on a racist conspiracy theory.

South Africa is still dealing with the fallout from apartheid, the state-enforced segregationist policy that for so long made black South Africans second-class citizens.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, some white South African farmers were targeted for retribution. Overall violence committed on farms spiked during this period, but has since decreased.

This data, however, simply does not support the outlandish claims by some conservative activists and commentators that “white genocide” is now being committed against South African farmers.

“There’s no doubt that South Africans — black and white — living on remote farms and far away from law enforcement, are vulnerable to the country’s already high crime rate.” Quartz Africa reports. “It’s a leap, however, to claim racial targeting, much less genocide.”

Duke was joined by a parade of other prominent racists who were thrilled at Trump’s tweet validating the racist conspiracy theory.

Identity Evropa, a racist campus-based organization, enthusiastically replied to Trump’s message on Twitter: “South Africa serves as a warning to people of European heritage all around the world.”

Laura Loomer, a far right Internet personality with a history of documented bigotry, was thrilled. “What’s happening in South Africa is horrific. I’m glad @realDonaldTrump addressed it,” she wrote, also alleging that “we have a lot of anti-white racism here in America and jihadis running for office.”

Lauren Southern, a racist activist and provocateur who created a documentary to promote the “white genocide” myth, also hailed Trump’s tweet: “This is huge.”

But the official South African government Twitter account also responded to Trump, making clear that it would not stand for his lies.

“South Africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation and reminds us of our colonial past.”

Lindiwe Sisulu, South Africa’s minister of international relations and cooperation, also said her department would meet with the U.S. embassy based in Pretoria to discuss Trump’s conspiracy-mongering.

Many of these same delusional, racist fears about “white genocide” have fueled the anti-immigration paranoia that Trump has promoted for years.

Trump has once again used the American presidency to advance the white supremacist movement.

The excitement his words caused among the absolute gutter-dwellers of American hate show that as long as Trump holds the presidency, racists have a strong ally — one of their own — occupying the highest seat of power in the United States.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.