It’s been hard to avoid hearing Donald Trump’s opinions about Mexico. It started with a complaint that Mexico “isn’t sending their best” (whatever that means), and continued with calling Mexicans rapists and drug dealers. When he got backlash for making his outrageous accusations, he doubled down and added “killers” to his list.
Latino-Americans have responded to Trump’s nonsense with a fantastic video aiming to “Turn Ignorance Around.” The video showcases Latinos and Latinas showing “who they really are” — they self-identify as “a killer,” “a dealer,” and “a thief.”
And then they turn around. The “thief” is “a thief of feelings”– it’s a young woman who’s a Latina actress. The “dealer” is “a dealer of flavor”– a Latino chef.
One man proudly declares he’s a murderer– of boredom. He’s a comedian. There’s a nanny, student, attorney, firefighter, and waiter.
After each Latino reveals who they “really” are, a voiceover demands that “It’s time to turn ignorance around.”
I love the Mexican people, but Mexico is not our friend. They're killing us at the border and they're killing us on jobs and trade. FIGHT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 30, 2015
It is important that the Latino population can choose to identity themselves on their own terms. Since Trump announced his presidential campaign in an incoherent anti-Mexico rant, the hatred and xenophobia against Hispanics has increased among the right-wing population. Trump has gone so far as to include his plan to build a wall around Mexico (paid for by the Mexicans, somehow) in his official campaign advertisement.
The #TurnIgnoranceAround campaign was created by the CHIRLA Action Fund in an effort to “present a different take on the anti-immigrant hate speech being spewed in this Presidential Election cycle.”
The campaign claims that
“What Donald Trump said about Mexicans is based on ignorance. This campaign helps turn ignorance around and shows the truth about who Latinos really are in this country.”
Like the t-shirts? They’re for sale, so you can show America and Donald Trump your true colors too!
