Really, the only way to present this article is as a series of increasingly ridiculous quotes from Kathy Miller, a chair of Donald Trump’s campaign in Mahoning County, Ohio. In a video interview with The Guardian for their “Anywhere but Washington” series, laid out some choice opinions.
First, on black opportunity:
“If you’re black and you haven’t been successful in the last 50 years, it’s your own fault. You’ve had every opportunity, it was given to you.”
And:
“You’ve had the same schools everybody else went to. You had benefits to go to college that white kids didn’t have. You had all the advantages and didn’t take advantage of it. It’s not our fault, certainly.”
On Black Lives Matter:
“A stupid waste of time.”
On the reason for low voter turnout among the black community (which was actually higher, percentage-wise, than for whites over the last two elections):
“It’s the way they’re raised.”
On personal accountability:
“We have three generations of all still having unwed babies, kids that don’t go through high school, and when do they take responsibility for how they live? I think it’s due time, and I think it’s good that Mr. Trump is pointing that out.”
And the real kicker:
“I don’t think there was any racism until Obama got elected. We never had problems like this … Now, with the people with the guns, and shooting up neighborhoods, and not being responsible citizens, that’s a big change, and I think that’s the philosophy that Obama has perpetuated on America.”
And that’s not even going into all the “advantages” she claimed that black citizens have in America. But let’s continue to insist that Trump’s support isn’t about racism, right? When presented with the idea that her remarks may be offensive, Miller responded with all the humility and nuance you’d expect: “I don’t care, it’s the truth.”
Go to The Guardian to watch Miller’s video.