Trump’s Phoenix Latino show shameful
It’s bad enough to have Trump literally separate children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border, put them in cages, reject asylum seekers, attack the “dreamers” and insult everyone else who’s not white.
But it’s incomprehensible to see immigrants and leaders like the former head of a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce serving as Trump’s campaign prop to try to fool Arizona Latinos into voting for him.
Have they no shame? Of course they don’t. They’re nothing more than opportunists kissing up to Trump to attract attention to themselves.
There is no other explanation for their participation at Monday’s Latinos for Trump roundtable in Phoenix designed to court the Latino vote but which had no substance. Nothing. Zero. Zilch.
It was merely a campaign rally where Trump used Latinos like a masterful puppeteer pulling the strings of the marionettes to the delight of what looked like a mostly white crowd.
There was Jorge Rivas, whose Sammy’s Mexican Grill drew criticism earlier this year but which nonetheless got a business boost after a Trump’s shoutout.
Rivas of course got to plug his food joint and went out of his way to kiss up to president at the Latinos for Trump gathering in south Phoenix Monday, blaming the parents’ doing a “poor job” educating children for the current social unrest in the country.
Then there was utility regulator Lea Marquez Peterson, the former head of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, giving Trump credit for the new trade deal with Mexico and Canada.
The Republican Marquez Peterson is running for the Arizona Corporation Commission seat to which she was appointed by Gov. Doug Ducey — who by the way accompanied Trump during his Phoenix stop.
She must believe that being a Trump prop could propel her public career because the alternative is worst. Political opportunists who openly use Trump’s celebrity power are bad enough, but actually believing in his racist rhetoric and policies is just disgusting.
These people, including some immigrants themselves, are supporting a president with nationalist tendencies who goes after immigrants and foreigners just because he can.
“Latinos are conservative. They just don’t know it,” said Sergio Arellano, who leads Latino outreach for Republicans in Arizona and who was among the Latinos for Trump.
No doubt some Latinos are conservative. But there is a huge difference between being a conservative with political and social values and a white nationalist.
Tracy Buelna of Chandler didn’t get to be onstage with Trump but she nonetheless got to see him and support him, telling the Republic’s Nick Oza that “Trump is “extremely pro-life and a patriotic loving American.”
A pro-life leader doesn’t separate children from their parents. A pro-life leader doesn’t turn away asylum seekers.
But apparently that’s not important to the Latinos for Trump, including Moses Sanchez, who unsuccessfully ran for Phoenix mayor, and Arte Moreno, the owner of Los Angeles Angels.