Donald Trump has always been a person that is capable of inciting strong emotions in the public. Some people think he is a strong, money-smart entrepreneur. Others think he is an arrogant, women-bashing asshole. Lately, Trump has been a big topic in politics, too, as he is running against Hillary Clinton in the Presidential race. It’s one place many people imagined Trump wouldn’t be and yet there he is, like a vulture scavenging over the political playing field, waiting to pick up any piece of trash he can from other politician’s remnants. This is a far-cry from typical candidates we’ve seen in previous elections. Color theory, the cartoon-style presented, and how the original “Hope” poster that featured Obama compares to this new meme of Trump all come together to show that Donald Trump is not your typical presidential nominee. This is important because of the impact he has made on society as well as pop culture.

In color theory, you have your primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. Coincidentally, two out of three of these primary colors are associated with the Democratic and Republican party. Blue, which is Democrat; and red, which is Republican. In the Trump meme, these two primary colors are vibrantly present. The background is split down the middle between red and blue while Trump’s face is shadowed by the Republican red clashing with Democratic blue. What is important about this is Trump’s attitude towards other Republicans as well as Democrats. There is no limit on who he will go after, whether it be Marco Rubio or Hillary Clinton. Pastor Mark Burns, who gave the benediction at the Republican National Convention stated, “Our enemy is not other Republicans, but is Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party.” Contrast this statement with Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention speech, where he states, “. . . there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America — there’s the United States of America.”  Red and blue originally symbolized the two parties working together. The Democrats and the Republicans have always been known to oppose each other but would never be considered enemies. Trump is inconsistent on his opinions on either party, flitting back and forth between identifying as a Democrat and upholding conservative views. This presidential nominee is changing politics as we know it and some feel that it is not for the better.

Cartoon-style drawings are, without a doubt, becoming more prevalent in American society. Television shows like Family Guy and Futurama have been a public favorite for years. Now, there is not a moment that someone isn’t exposed to a cartoon of some sort. Memes are something in pop culture that has taken over the internet. They reflect the issues in society by using sarcasm and humor. It helps young adults communicate about the problems that we, as a whole world, are facing today. That’s why it’s important for this Donald Trump meme to be presented in this style. The majority of the Millennial generation are less likely to agree with Trump’s far right ideologies. Coincidentally, the Millennials are the ones mostly involved in the trend of memes, which are mostly cartoon-styled. The appeal of the Trump meme draws in a younger audience. The caption, “Fuck your feelings,” on the meme also brings out the humorous element. However, the cartoon-style of the meme has a purpose: to draw in audiences and make it more memorable. If someone saw a funny cartoon of Trump that says your feelings don’t matter to him, one is not likely to forget it. The propaganda behind the meme is being used to make Trump seem even more unsympathetic to audiences than he makes himself look.

In 2008, our first black President of the United States was elected to office. One of the most famous posters made during his presidential run against John McCain featured Barack Obama drawn in cartoon-style with the caption of, “Hope”. The artist of the poster, Shepard Fairey, was inspired from a photograph belonging to AP Press. As a result, AP Press accused Fairey of copyright infringement. Fairey then filed a preemptive lawsuit, claiming that he used the AP photo as a mere starting point instead of completely copying the photograph This brought on the controversy of using the First Amendment to limit freedom of expression. Barack Obama was an advocate of the Democrats and the Republicans working together for the betterment of America. He believed that there were no blue states or red states. In the poster, both red and blue were present to symbolize unification. Now, this Trump meme has appeared as a parody of that. Never before have we seen a presidential nominee push such far-right views. He is easily considered to be more radical than most political figures we have seen in years, possibly decades (side note: compare to Hitler). The meme, along with its caption, illustrates Donald Trump’s brash and harsh political opinions. The artist of the original poster wanted to spread Obama’s ideals of creating an America where there were no clear dividing lines between the two parties; to have everyone work together. Now, this famous, inspiring poster has been made into a joke . . . an accurate joke, as Trump himself has displayed.

The meme’s elements of color theory, the cartoon-style, and how the original poster that featured Obama compares to this new meme of Trump show the difference between the different presidential views of the past and of today. Obama supported the unity of all political parties, believing that we are one nation under a common goal: the betterment of America. Donald Trump is practically a foil of the ideology. He is advocating the belief that only some people are a part of our nation, hence the constant discussion of building a wall on the Mexico border and the deportation of immigrants. Of course, the deportation of illegal immigrants is important. However, the tone and usage of words by Trump makes these people seem like animals, less than anyone who lives in America. The support of violence is a not a platform any politician should run on. But here Trump here is, once again, not where many thought he would be. America only hopes whoever is President of the United States does what is best of everyone, instead of what is best for a select few.
