The Mirror | October 2020 | Van Nuys High School | Los Angeles, California USA

T O R Y |
theMIRROR
us the Donald
By ANI TUTUNJYAN | THE MIRROR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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rump called in
o Washington,
D.C. to police demonstrations. He
was heavily criticized after peaceful
protestors near the White House
were tear-gassed so that he could
stage a photo opportunity at a
church across the street.
In Portland, Oregon, he also
sent federal agents who clashed
with demonstrators every evening
over a several week period. Videos
surfaced on social media of federal
officers using unmarked vehicles
to grab protestors off downtown
Portland streets.
Trump has signed an executive
order that would provide some
narrow police reforms including
the establishment of a national
database on police misconduct.
This order came after he faced
pressure to take action following
the death of George Floyd at the
hands of police.
Trump has rejected ideas to
defund police as “radical and dangerous,”
instead outlining programs
to hold police officers to higher
standards.
The president promised a ban
on chokeholds, except when the
officer believes his or her life is in
danger; more support for officers
who deal with the homeless, drug
addicts and the mentally ill, along
with social workers to help officers
better navigate these encounters.
However, his administration has
yet to take any action.
Although Trump rails against
defunding the police, in February
the Trump administration proposed
a 58 percent cut in the COPS
Hiring Program, a federal program
that supports police department
staffing. This is not the first time.
The administration has routinely
called for cuts to this program, only
to be shut down by Congress.
Despite some level of reform,
Trump’s other policies and rhetoric
seems to encourage violence from
law enforcement.
This summer, he posted a tweet
that appeared to support violence
in which he said “When the looting
starts, the shooting starts,” a phrase
used by segregationists against
civil rights protestors. The president
later said he did not mean it
as a threat.
Trump has also repeatedly
empowered hate groups whose
remarks resonate with white supremacists.
During the first presidential
debate of 2020, the president did
not condemn white supremacists
and the alt-right, instead telling the
Proud Boys — a far-right and neofascist
male-only organization that
promotes and engages in political
violence — to “stand back and
stand by.” The group immediately
adopted the phrase, adding it to
their logo.
Days after he declined to denounce
white supremacists which
sparked outrage among many
Americans, he told Fox News that
he condemns right-wing hate
groups such as the KKK and the
Proud Boys.
Trump has repeatedly referred
to the BLM movement as violent,
calling it “discriminatory” and “bad
for Black people.”
He described BLM protestors as
“dangerous thugs.”
In July, the president tweeted
about New York City’s decision to
paint “Black Lives Matter” on Fifth
Avenue, calling it “a symbol of hate.”
American journalist Bob
Woodward and the author of
“Fear:Trump in the White House,”
asked Trump whether he felt
America “has systemic racism.”
At first the president responded
with “probably less here than most
places or less here than many
places.” But after he was pushed, he
admitted that yes, America does
have systemic racism. “I think it is
[in America]. It’s unfortunate, but I
think it is.”
This statement was released
only days after Trump visited
Kenosha, Wisconsin in the wake of
protests that erupted after Jacob
Blake was shot in the back seven
times by police, and completely
dismissed the “idea” of systemic
racism, instead saying the city has
been “ravaged by anti-police and
anti-America riots.”
DISRUPTOR Trump’s promises
of narrow police reform have yet
to be enforced.
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‘‘
In no way, shape, or form is Donald
Trump fit or qualified to be a
two-term president, nor a one-term
president. He has grossly thrown
away the ideals of the nation, refused
to take action on coronavirus, left the
Paris Climate Accords, skyrocketed
unemployment due to the virus,
hurt our trade relations with China,
criticized NATO, sucked up to Russia,
influenced racial instability, literally
could not physically condemn white
supremacist movements, attempted
to suppress free media, lied to
America and so much more.”
ASHER TENENBAUM 9th grade
“I do think that he is qualified to
remain president of the United
States. While he is far from perfect,
I do believe he is the better
of the two.”.
‘‘KEVIN SANTIAGO 12th grade
I think he’s [Biden] a good
candidate and I do believe he
is qualified to be president.
He has values, he listens
to science, cares about the
well-being of people and he is
strong. I’m not saying this because
he served with Obama
‘‘JOEL
but also because I’ve did my
research on him and he’s a
really good man.
ALCARAZ 11th grade
‘‘
I believe that he [Biden] would be a terrible
president. He has many accounts
against him about pedophilia and a
president should never even be allowed
to run if they have that against them. I
am aware that Donald Trump does have
accusations against him but they are just
accusations, there isn’t proof that he did
or does that to anyone. Joe Biden has
proof of pedophilia. He talks to minors
in suggestive ways and touches them in
inappropriate ways even on live television.
For those reasons, he should not
only not be able to run for president, he
should be in jail.”
LEILAH GOINS 9th grade