By Ed Diokno
Views from the Edge
Mainstream media missed this one completely but some eagle-eye Asian Americans brought this to my attention. In the bigger scheme of things, the incident probably should go unnoticed, but as an Asian American, I just couldn’t let it go.
On Monday (July 24), Donald Trump gave a speech heavily criticizing the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, at the White House. His goal is to pressure Senate Republicans to repeal and replace Obamacare.
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Just before delivering the statement, Trump met with families who described themselves as “victims of Obamacare.” They served as a backdrop to Trump’s message, a not-so-veiled attempt to pressure GOP Senators to vote to approve debate on the House proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
I should point out that of the 15 young people acting as that backdrop, two little girls were Asian, standing in the front row.
As Trump was introduced by Vice President Pence, Trump started to greet the young people in the front. After shaking hands of the White kids on the right, he went directly to the White kids on the left — BYPASSING the Asian girls standing the middle of the front row.
One can say that Trump didn’t mean anything by ignoring the only children of color. But, that’s just the point. The girls, politely waiting to greet the man their parents support, were not significant enough (to him) For Trump to even notice them. To him, they were invisible.
Trump would be the first to say that he’s not racist. Let me correct that. Trump should be the first to tweet that he’s not racist. He may actually really believe that.
But one wonders if deep down in his subconscious — so deep he might not even know that he harbors these sentiments towards people of color. In moments like this one, where Trump isn’t thinking about strategies, fake media, Russia and all the problems of the world, in a rather innocuous act, it just might reveal something about the White House occupant.
Am I making a mountain out of molehill? In the context of his feelings towards Mexicans, Muslims, “the” Blacks, his speech in Poland where he declared himself the protector of the West, mocking Japanese businessmen’s accent, the way he spits out “CHIna,” his speech before 40,000 brown-shirted Boy Scouts — if you get enough molehills together it becomes a mountain.
Trump is not alone in having the inability to see Asians. Ever been passed over for a promotion? Have your comments ignored in a meeting? Have a clerk speak to the person behind you even though you’ve been waiting patiently to be noticed? Or, you’re waiting in line and someone just cuts in front of you because … you know … they don’t see you?
You be the judge.
Mindy Kalling took part in a commercial a couple of years ago that makes fun of this phenomenon. Watch below.
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RE:Asian American girls “Invisible” to President Trump: Are you f ing kidding me. ? Trump is super tall and those two kids were at his knees. Didn’t even see them. Typical Dems trying make make up a story.
RE: Asian American girls invisible to President Trump: Funny thing, yes, it is “super tall” President Trump’s JOB to see and recognize everyone. No kidding. No excuse.
RE: Asian American girls invisible to President Trump:Someone please explain diplomacy and common courtesy to our president. This isn’t the first time he has snubbed a female and not extend the proper greeting.
The young girls are the same height as the young boys. He acknowledged the boys why not extend the same courtesy to the young girls? I understand that our president does as he feels when it comes to race and gender. So many people have come to accept that about him and know he isn’t going to change. But what message did he send to these girls parents? Are these girls not just as important as boys? How do these parents explain to their daughters if asked why the president do what he did. Children understand more than adults give them credit for.
RE: Asian American Girls “Invisible” to President Trump: it may be better to be invisible to Dodo Trump so he does not grab our p*ssy