STAFF EDITORIAL
Elections are approaching, and Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton are doing anything in their power to win your vote.
It is extremely important for us, as college students, to vote. We have the power to make a difference and make our voices heard on Election Day.
At Cal State Dominguez Hills we take pride in being an ethnically diverse university. Our student population is 54.5 percent Hispanic/Latino, 17.7 percent black/African American, 12.9 percent white, 11.4 percent Asian/Pacific Islander and 3.2 percent bi-racial, according to the CSUDH website.
As our campus is made up of a large number of students with roots in Latin America, we encourage the Latino community on campus — and those who care about them — to vote for a candidate who better understands their struggles in this country. That candidate is not Trump.
Trump has amassed a large number of supporters for all of the wrong reasons. Aside from targeting the Mexican community with his rhetoric, Trump, in our view, is a narcissist who cannot identify with the needs of the less fortunate. His dishonest viewpoints appear to promote violence, and we fear what a Trump presidency would mean for Latinos here and abroad.
During Trump’s presidential campaign he has denigrated Mexicans by calling them rapists, criminals and killers. He proposed a wall, which he falsely claims Mexico would pay for, insulting and infuriating not only Mexican politicians and citizens but Hispanics living in the United States. He has also disparaged the immigrant community, stating that anyone undocumented would be deported.
In an effort to desperately repair his declining approval rating, Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto invited both presidential candidates to Mexico. Clinton declined the request, while Trump accepted the invitation.
Trump accepted the invitation in order to try and win the Latino vote and attempt to “soften” the immigration laws he has implemented.
Trump completely contradicted himself during his meeting with Pena Nieto, calling Mexicans “amazing” and “spectacular” and referring to Pena Nieto as a friend, months prior he clearly stated “Mexico is not our friend.” Trump also stated there was no discussion about who would pay for the wall. Hours later he was in Arizona saying Mexico would 100 percent pay for the wall.
If Pena Nieto’s ratings were declining, Trump’s visit to Mexico was the cherry on top. Mexicans were not only upset about the visit, they were infuriated. Former President Vicente Fox was extremely upset about the visit and apologized for Trump’s visiting Mexico. Fox and Trump had minor arguments via twitter, prior to the visit.
Mexicans felt humiliated and betrayed. Pena Nieto did not demand an apology, or defend Mexico. Not only did Trump embarrass Mexicans, but shortly after he mocked the president in his Arizona speech and everything he stated during that meeting. Pena Nieto could not have set needed worse situation for himself.
We are not telling Latinos and their supporters who to vote for — Gary Johnson, Jill Stein or Hillary Clinton are all viable options — but we are saying not to vote for Trump.
