There’s little love lost between Donald Trump and Philadelphia.
The Republican nominee for president has been trashed by two mayors and was formally denounced by City Council.
But a pro-Trump rally will be held outside Independence Mall this Saturday, the first stop of a planned multi-city tour organized by a group of Trump supporters who happen to be people of color.
Strangely, most of the organizers of the All American Rally for Trump don’t really seem to like the candidate very much. But they say they think he is what the country needs.
“I personally don’t have very strong feelings about Donald Trump, but I think he can end the political fortunes of two political dynasties, the Bush dynasty and the Clinton dynasty,” said organizer Arvind Kumar. Bruce Carter, a Dallas native and founder of Black Men for Bernie, said Trump could offer the black community “a business opportunity,” in the form of new partnerships to fund social programs to help lift people out of poverty. “History has proven that the Democratic Party has not been on the fair side for urban communities,” he said. “The worst thing is to believe that you have someone who is in your corner. … Donald Trump, racist or not, has not been in power to inflict damage to the black community. “He probably is racist, but it don’t matter if there’s a partnership.”
The rally’s organizers take serious issue with Democrat Hillary Clinton’s candidacy. Carter said the Democratic National Committee “cheated” to get her nominated.
“There is no way that bad behavior should be rewarded with her becoming president,” he said. “There’s millions of Bernie supporters that feel the same way.”
Kumar and co-organizer Satya Dosapati both referenced the Clinton Foundation’s actions around the world, in places like Haiti and India, as well as her support for a 1994 crime bill, as evidence that she wouldn’t make a good president. But what about the charges of racism that have been flung against Trump, his comments about immigrants, Mexicans, and women?
“That is a standard political narrative that is part of the propaganda for the Clintons now,” Kumar said. “We are not supposed to talk about Hillary’s votes on Wall Street, on Iraq, about the Clinton foundation.” Organizers picked Philly because Pennsylvania is a battleground state this election cycle. Recent polls show Clinton’sleadin Pennsylvania eroding, from nine points ahead down to as little as four, according to Quinnipiac. They hope to head to Florida, Ohio and other swing states soon. As far as turnout for the rally, organizers said they hope for 1,000, but are happy to talk to whoever shows up.
The All American Rally for Trump will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Independence Mall.
Not-your-typical Trump rally coming to Philly
Courtesy of Bruce Carter
