Vang: The rise of ‘bro culture’ and Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric

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I woke up this morning and felt like I was living in 1933 Nazi Germany. Why? Because President-elect Donald Trump has stoked fears and encouraged divisions in a way that feels personal as a woman of color and as an immigrant.

Trump’s rhetoric and actions have consistently marginalized people like me. I’ve seen him casually suggest violence against female politicians like Liz Cheney. His remarks accusing immigrants of bizarre, offensive things such as dog-eating and his promises to deport even some legal immigrants hit hard. I came to the U.S. at 5 years old and earned my citizenship at 19. Also, Trump’s long record of unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate behavior is a constant reminder of the disregard he holds for women.

Perhaps most alarming is his impact on women’s rights. The repeal of reproductive rights has shined a light on an unsettling “bro culture” where some men seem intent on dismantling hard-won freedoms for women. This includes the Latino bros, whose support for Trump despite his openly offensive remarks about Latinos is baffling. NBC News exit polls show that 54% of Latino men voted for Trump. It apparently didn’t matter to them that Trump called Mexicans rapists or that a speaker at one of his rallies called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.”

I can only conclude that the bros such as Elon Musk and podcaster Joe Rogan support Trump because they do not want to see a woman president. So what if our republic dies in 2024?

In 1935, around the same time Hitler was implementing the first of his anti-Jewish laws, Minnesota’s own Nobel Prize-winning author Sinclair Lewis published “It Can’t Happen Here,” a novel warning of a fascist rise to the U.S. presidency. Unfortunately, that warning feels uncomfortably close to our current reality.

To everyone feeling heavy with the weight of this election, know that our founders anticipated such challenges. They ensured that our government has checks and balances. The judicial and legislative branches exist to preserve our democratic principles.

And to every woman feeling like the bros are smashing our rights into pieces, remember the power of our voices. The First Amendment grants us the right to assemble, speak and protest. Let’s use it. Together, we can stand up for our rights and work toward a future where equality, civility and respect are the norms.