The BLOG: Campaign 2016
Trump shaming: It’s time for us to come out of the closet
Kyle S. Reyes | July 23, 2016
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump signs autographs during a rally Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Madison, Ala. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
A couple of weeks ago, a guy I’ve known for years came out of the closet on Facebook – proudly announcing that he’s into guys and that he’s been afraid of saying it out loud his entire life.
The digital applause was thunderous. Dozens upon dozens of people expressed their support for him.
It was refreshing to see the outpouring of love and the absence of internet trolls. A man who has been afraid his entire life felt – at least in that moment – safe.
The next day, a fellow business owner I’m friends with came out. Just in a slightly different way.
“Friends and family keep asking me. So here it is. I’m voting for Donald Trump. It’s time to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain.”
You would’ve thought he announced he had just murdered a child.
The man was attacked. Threatened. Made to feel like an absolutely terrible person. It was a classic case of Trump shaming.
We’re In Hiding
Another friend of mine recently sold his business. He’s enjoying a little well deserved rest and relaxation after years of successfully running a business in an anti-business state. He pulled into the parking lot of a liquor store in a sleepy liberal town in Connecticut.
There was only one other car. It was a Subaru. With a giant Trump 2016 window cling on it.
When he walked into the store, he noticed a woman in her 60s. He immediately walked up to her.
“Ma’am – is that your Subaru?” he asked.
Nervous and not knowing what to expect, she confirmed that it was.
My friend reached out his hand to shake hers.
“I just want to tell you how impressed I am. A Trump sticker on a Subaru in Connecticut. What a beautiful job you’ve done at pissing off the liberals.”
The woman started glowing.
“You’re one of us, aren’t you?” she asked.
Then she hugged him.
The Quiet Whispers
Every single day, I meet with business owners. Other CEO’s. Founders. Managing partners.
In each and every meeting about marketing, at some point the conversation somehow ends up involving politics.
And the overwhelming majority of these people, when pressed hard, will finally admit it in the quiet recesses of their offices where nobody can hear them.
“I run a business. Of course I’m voting for Trump. But I can’t tell anybody.”
It’s Time To Get Real
Unfortunately I have quite a few friends and family members with their stubborn heads lodged incredibly far up their behinds.
“Oh, I’m voting third party. I hate Hillary but third party has a chance this time.”
No, there’s no shot. Period. A vote for third party is a vote for Hillary. It’s simply a way for you to try and convince yourself that you did the “right thing.” But you didn’t. “Third party” is simply a “safe place” for you so-called “conservatives” who don’t know how to do math.
“I’m a Constitutional Conservative.”
No, you’re not. Because if you really gave a damn about conservative values or the Constitution, you’d understand that the Supreme Court is on the line. So please. Enough already.
Trump Is A Racist and So Are You
For everyone who supports Trump or even supports some of his ideologies, understand this. That now apparently makes you a bigot. A racist. A demagogue. A sexist. And a whole slew of other names that liberals will use to attack you. Because that’s what they will do in the absence of the ability to understand how to run a business. Or support our families. Or think for ourselves.
And that’s OK. They’re just words. Don’t pay attention to these “social justice warriors.” I mean, really. Half of them just need to eat some bacon and get laid and they’ll shut up.
You’re not a racist if you love Trump. You’re a racist if you’re an idiot. You’re a racist if you discriminate against people because of the color of their skin.
We can see past color and age and sex and sexual preference and love each other and still love Trump as well. Many liberals just can’t understand it. That’s their problem, not yours.
Rise Together
Perhaps you believe we need to start running this country as if it’s a business. Perhaps you’re sick of the elitist mentality. Perhaps you believe in law and order. Perhaps you believe that we should judge people on their character and not the color of their skin or their socio-economic background. Perhaps you love Trump because you’re massively passionate about your neighbor and your family and your country.
It’s ok. It’s time to come out of the closet. You’re one of us.
Trump’s not perfect. After all, he has yet to contract us as his marketing and public relations agency. But he loves America, dammit.
So do I. So do you.
So stop hiding. Enough of the Trump shaming.
Rise up. Declare it proudly. Share this article.
And when the internet trolls attack you, as I’m sure they are about to start to do on this piece, just know that they’re helping expose this message to more and more people.
God bless you and God bless America.
Kyle Reyes is President and CEO of The Silent Partner Marketing. He’s also an acclaimed keynote speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing and social media. You can find him on Facebook and LinkedIn. Read his past blogs here.
