By Larry Johnson
Note to Donald Trump: Mexico is in North America.
You should know that. You’re president. You profess to know so much, so often, so you should know elementary geography. But Wednesday, you once again showed how ignorant you are of the world in which you have a prominent, powerful position.
At almost the same time you’re nasty insults at Barack Obama, Kamala Harris, Hilary Clinton, and Joe Biden, you’re peddling another falsehood: that Tijuana is in South America.
“Tijuana is probably the worst place in South America, in terms of the China virus. It’s — I think it is the worst place,” said Trump, while he was bragging about how much better San Diego (right across the U.S.-Mexican border from Tijuana) is doing than its neighbor.
Of course, that was wrong, too. According to CNN, ijuana has confirmed 4,639 cases of the coronavirus. Across the border, San Diego has counted more than 35,000. But Trump has shown over and over that he’ll obscure facts if he doesn’t like them. One lie follows another follows another. There are too many to list, and to repeat any of them here just gives them credibility they don’t deserve.
But misidentifying the continent in which Mexico is located deserves special mention, because Trump has a “special” relationship with Mexico. His border wall, for example. His declaration that Mexican immigrants who try to come north are often “rapists” and other “bad hombres.”
Trump has often invoked the fear of Mexico to appeal to the most ignorant and racist Americans in his base. But he proved Wednesday that he doesn’t even know which CONTINENT it’s on. I know people misspeak all the time, and I generally believe in giving them a break.
Not Trump, though. He has repeatedly shown himself to be a racist, lying, vengeful, vindictive thug. Now, he’s showing that he’s ignorant of stuff you learn in sixth grade, too. I have had more than enough of him and his enablers. I hope you have, too.
