Donald Trump’s campaign says that it’s time to “Make America Great Again.” Of course, the jury is still out on how exactly Mr. Trump plans to do this.

We know it includes building a huge wall, deporting undocumented people, and creating a registry to monitor Americans whose religious beliefs are different from his. And, judging by Trump’s dominance in the primaries, this seems to resonate with Republican base voters and Donald Trump might just win it all at this rate.

Assuming a Trump presidency actually occurs, this would mean that Donald Trump would have significant influence over the Republican Party agenda. But what would a Trump-led GOP look like? If Trump’s campaign is any indication of his policy, the Republican Party could look a lot like the infamous “Know Nothing” Party (KNP).

The Know Nothing party (KNP) emerged as a critical resistance to the influx of German and Irish immigrants and enjoyed national prominence in the 1850s. The KNP were devout nativists who believed immigration to America meant bad news for the U.S. economy and culture. The primary focus of its policy agenda was stopping immigration.

The hallmark of the KNP was its intolerance. Sometimes, party supporters violently antagonized voters who did not vote their way — sound familiar? In Louisville, Kentucky, for example, Aug. 6, is known as “Bloody Monday.” Twenty-two people were killed by members of the KNP on Election Day.

But what does this have to do with Trump? Today, Trump’s campaign embodies everything the KNP stood for. From making sweeping generalizations about American immigrants to spewing religious hate. The front runner spreads bigotry and intolerance like it’s his civic duty. In fact, Trump kicked off his campaign with exactly that message. “The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems,” Trump said. “It’s coming from more than Mexico. It’s coming from all over South and Latin America and it’s probably coming from the Middle East. We don’t know (nothing).”

After the European attacks, Trump called for a total ban on Muslims entering the U.S. until we can figure out what’s going on. In other words, Trump knows nothing but he’s absolutely sure immigrants, Muslims and outsiders are responsible. These are not acceptable policies unless Trump is, indeed, the leader of the new KNP.

Isaiah O’Rourke

South Deerfield