Third Graders Tell Their Classmate He'll Be 'Sent Home' If Trump Is Elected

Mom’s upsetting Facebook post proves Trump is affecting our children, too

There’s no better way of illustrating Trump’s power, than to see how his message has been absorbed by children. One mother recounted an experience her son had in his class last week — and it’s chilling.

Shaun King, a writer for the Daily News, reposted the mom’s message for his followers with this note: “America. 2016. The mainstreaming of bigotry trickling down to children.”

All Trump’s talk of building walls and not letting certain people in to our country based on their race and religion is starting to trickle down to our kids. “Other” is becoming anything that isn’t white. America’s greatness has always come from the idea that it’s a “melting pot” — a place where all people can come to find a better life. Trump has convinced people that the very thing that makes America great is its downfall. He’s pioneering an age of racism, hatred — and just generally vile behavior. The worst part? Parents are signing off on it.

Our kids are learning from the adults around them who are signing off on this behavior as A-OK. Is this the world we want for our kids? One in which they are afraid of anyone who looks different than them? One in which they are pointing and laughing at kids in their class with different color skin? This is not progress: it’s a horrifying flashback to a time no one wants to return to. Well, no one with any empathy, heart, intellect, or humanity.

Here’s a snapshot of Trump’s “Great America”: A young woman was forced out of one of his rallies for peacefully protesting. She was surrounded by men and shoved out the door, while — as the Daily News reported — Trump yelled, “Get them out of here!” Trump often encourages his supporters to forcibly remove peaceful protestors. “I was called a n****r and a c**t,” she said. “They were pushing and shoving at me, cursing me, yelling at me.”

Last week at an Orlando rally, Trump asked his supporters to raise their right hands to pledge their votes. Here’s what that looked like:

A few weeks ago he refused to disavow David Duke, former KKK leader, when the racist endorsed his campaign. He said, “I don’t know anything about white supremacy.” Oh, really? He’s never heard of the KKK? So he’s gladly accepting their votes, and he’s a liar.

It’s beyond terrifying at this point that anyone could make excuses for his behavior. It’s beyond terrifying that there are so many households where children are learning that it’s okay. Some of the comments on King’s post summed it up perfectly:

It all starts at home. They just repeat what they’ve heard the adults say. Btw 2016 isn’t too far removed from 1966, historically and ideologically.

My grandmother couldn’t even vote as a young adult. This isn’t ancient history. The same people who did all they could to make sure she never stepped in a voting both? The children they raised to feel the same are still walking around, influencing their children and grandchildren.