Yesterday, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted an image comparing the refugee crisis to a bowl of Skittles containing some that were poisoned.
This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016 pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016
Naturally, people were not enthused by the comparison:
A rep for @Skittles gives me their response to @DonaldJTrumpJr pic.twitter.com/OmkJQkIqug
— Seth Abramovitch (@SethAbramovitch) September 20, 2016
Breaking news! People are not Skittles. https://t.co/Io2X12w2zh pic.twitter.com/z4EhUCiP5I
— New Republic (@NewRepublic) September 20, 2016
Anyhow.
Back in 2014, when self-described "kissless virgin" Elliot Rodger went on a misogyny-fueled shooting spree in Santa Barbara, killing six women and himself, the hashtag #YesAllWomen became a rallying cry for women to share stories of sexism and harassment. Incidentally enough, one popular message spread around was exactly the "skittles" argument shared by Donald Trump--with M&Ms instead of Skittles, and "men" subbed in for refugees.
#NotAllMen? Imagine a bowl of M&Ms, 10% are poisoned. Go ahead, eat a handful. Not all M&Ms are poison. #YesAllWomen pic.twitter.com/6VFMxWdhuf
— Janina Sjöholm (@RowanLake99) May 28, 2014
The website Upworthy shared the same message on their Tumblr, which received a staggering amount of shares and "likes."
Essentially:
SJW 2014: This analogy is amazing. It proves our fear is warranted
— elisabethlehem (@elisabethlehem) September 20, 2016
SJWs Today: Trump compared people to skittles?! Fear mongering monster! pic.twitter.com/37WCnT82VA
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Granted, neither of these images are correct or appropriate to be shared and or paraded about. Men are not M&Ms, refugees aren't Skittles, and while we're at it, I guess we could clarify that [insert latest group] are not Reese's Pieces. This is not to discount security and safety concerns regarding both groups, but the poison candy analogy fails as it's a logical fallacy.
Further, it's absolutely foolish for people to act all holier-than-thou re: the new Skittles image, when months ago the very same rhetoric about half the world's population was being spread gleefully and triumphantly.
At the end of the day, people need to be treated as people, not as metaphors.
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