Trump’s Rally Locations and Their Troubling History
I don’t usually write diaries in response to other diaries, but in this case, I also had seen this Xwitter post and found it intriguing.
This gentleman has noticed something very disturbing. Trump has been holding his hate rallies in sundown towns. 😳👇 pic.twitter.com/6Y6zD1vkM2
— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) August 31, 2024
“So I’ve been noticing a troubling pattern. Where Donald Trump has been holding his rallies the last few weeks has been egregious. Howell, Michigan. Lacrosse, Wisconsin. Johnstown, Pennsylvania — now what do these places have in common? They’re all sundown towns. This is where Donald Trump is choosing to hold his rallies. Sundown towns. They want to go back to Dred Scott. Make America great again. When was America ever great? You got a presidential candidate for the GOP doing a sundown town tour around the country. Not looking for political gain. He’s rallying the troops. These crybaby bitches want nothing but a civil war again. Make no mistake about it, folks, this is a real threat. These motherfuckers are domestic terrorists and they need to be treated accordingly.”
And I was going to write about it, but since I care very deeply about accuracy, I first wanted to confirm what was being claimed. I just hadn’t done it yet.
Now I have.
What is a Sundown Town?
Here’s a scene from the horror show Lovecraft Country that explains exactly what a Sundown Town is. Viscerally. Not all the monsters have fangs and claws.
If you haven’t seen this series, they do make it out of the county in time and without speeding. But the next county over is also a Sundown County and the officer radioed ahead so there are more officers waiting for them at the county line.
Trump’s Rally Locations
Using this historical list of Sundown Towns by state, I compared it to a list of Trump’s Rally locations and it is true that of his last two rallies at Johnstown, PA, La Crosse, WI and his next city Mosinee, WI — Howell, MI was not on the wiki list of rallies but he did do a rally there— that those 4 cities were indeed all former Sundown Towns.
Racial Insensitivity
It’s also notable that Trump had previously done a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the site of one of the nation’s worst Racial Massacres on the anniversary of Juneteenth.
Donald Trump is facing a growing outcry for choosing to hold his first election rally during the coronavirus pandemic in Tulsa, Oklahoma – the scene of one of the worst race massacres in US history in 1921.
The rally will also be held on 19 June – known as “Juneteenth” – the anniversary of the day in 1865 when a general read out Abraham Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation in Texas, freeing slaves in the last un-emancipated state.
The decision to hold the rally in Tulsa in the midst of nationwide protests over racist violence and discrimination, triggered by the police killing of George Floyd, has been criticised as all the more incendiary for the widely understood historic symbolism of the Tulsa race massacre in which up to 300 black Americans were killed by white mobs.
So intentionally or not, he’s not about to avoid some pretty serious racial insensitivity.
Waco, TX Rally
Then again, there was the time that he had a rally in Waco, TX on the anniversary of the infamous deadly Branch Davidian raid.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former President Donald Trump picking Waco, Texas, for the first rally of his 2024 campaign Saturday will put him in the middle of a big Republican state that has reliably delivered him big crowds.
It will also put him not far from the grassy prairie where a standoff in 1993 between U.S. law enforcement and Branch Davidians infamously resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the siege, which continues to hold deep symbolism and is still viewed by survivors of the compound as an act of unwarranted government intrusion.
Trump, who is facing the possibility of becoming the first president in U.S. history to be indicted, hasn’t nodded to Waco’s past since first announcing the rally last week. Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said the decision to hold the event at Waco’s regional airport was ideal because the city was “centrally located and close” to some of Texas’ largest cities.
Racially Charged Language
Trump has also used terms with a racial history to describe the prosecutors — many of whom happen to be black — who have been prosecuting him.
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s aggressive response to his fourth criminal indictment in five months follows a strategy he has long used against legal and political opponents: relentless attacks, often infused with language that is either overtly racist or is coded in ways that appeal to racists.
The early Republican presidential front-runner has used terms such as “animal” and “rabid” to describe Black district attorneys. He has accused Black prosecutors of being “racist.” He has made unsupported claims about their personal lives. And on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump has deployed terms that rhyme with racial slurs as some of his supporters post racist screeds about the same targets.
So it could be said that, whether deliberately or not, Trump does have a bit of a racial and social history of having his rallies at some fairly controversial sites.
Sundown Towns in the North
But as I looked through the list what I also noticed is that there were approximately 250 of these cities in Wisconsin. There were 79 of them in Michigan and 49 of them in Pennsylvania. This is not exactly as uncommon as people might assume, particularly in the North where they still had racial animus against blacks but they didn’t have Slave Patrols in place to keep their black population “
FAQs About Trump’s Sundown Town Habit
Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers regarding the recent article on Trump’s Sundown Town habit.
1. What is a Sundown Town?
A Sundown Town is a community that has historically excluded people of color, often forcing them to leave by sundown. This practice was prevalent in the United States during the early 20th century.
2. Is Trump’s behavior similar to Sundown Towns?
The article suggests that Trump’s actions and policies may have parallels with the exclusionary practices of Sundown Towns, although it does not imply direct equivalence. The comparison is made to highlight the broader issue of racial exclusion and discrimination.
3. What specific actions by Trump are being compared to Sundown Towns?
The article mentions various incidents and policies attributed to Trump that could be seen as discriminatory or exclusionary, such as his rhetoric on immigration and his handling of racial issues within the country.
4. How does Trump’s behavior affect marginalized communities?
The article argues that Trump’s actions can create a sense of fear and marginalization among communities of color, potentially leading to further exclusion and discrimination.
5. Is this comparison unique to Trump or has it been made before?
The comparison between Trump’s behavior and Sundown Towns is not unique; it has been made by various critics and scholars who argue that his policies and rhetoric reflect a broader pattern of racial exclusion.
6. What are the implications of comparing Trump’s actions to Sundown Towns?
The comparison serves as a reminder of the historical context of racial exclusion in America and highlights the ongoing struggle for equality and justice. It also underscores the need for continued vigilance against discriminatory practices.
7. How do historians view the comparison between Trump’s actions and Sundown Towns?
Historians generally agree that while there are similarities in exclusionary practices, each era has its unique context. However, they also acknowledge that historical precedents can inform contemporary discussions about race and discrimination.
8. What role does media play in highlighting these comparisons?
The media plays a crucial role in bringing these comparisons to light by providing a platform for critical analysis and discussion. It helps to educate the public about historical contexts and contemporary issues related to racial exclusion.
9. How do politicians respond to these comparisons?
Politicians often respond defensively or dismissively when faced with comparisons to Sundown Towns, arguing that their policies are not equivalent to historical exclusionary practices. However, critics argue that the intent behind such policies can be just as damaging.
10. What can be done to address these issues moving forward?
To address these issues, it is essential to continue educating the public about historical contexts of racial exclusion and to promote policies that foster inclusivity and equality. Advocacy groups and community organizations also play a vital role in pushing for change.
