(CNN) CNN contributor Bakari Sellers denounced last week's violence in Charlottesville on Sunday, calling it a "tragic day for the country."
However, he told Jake Tapper during a panel discussion on CNN's "State of the Union," recent events had only brought an existing issue into sharper focus.
"It didn't start with Donald Trump. It has been magnified and lifted up and put on another playing field. But I don't think that anything has necessarily changed," Sellers argued.
Violence erupts at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia
People fly into the air as a vehicle drives into a group of people demonstrating against a white nationalist rally after police cleared Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, August 12.
The vehicle moments before it struck the crowd.
A woman receives first aid after a speeding car slammed into this silver convertible as it navigated through a crowd of counterprotesters.
A man embraces an injured woman after a car rammed into the crowd.
Right-wing rally members clash with counterprotesters in Emancipation Park, where white nationalist groups gathered for a rally.
A counterprotester strikes a white nationalist with a baton during clashes at Emancipation Park, where white nationalists are protesting the removal of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee monument.
A counterprotester throws a newspaper box at a right-wing rally member at the entrance to Emancipation Park.
A counterprotester uses a lighted spray can against a white nationalist at the entrance to Emancipation Park.
Counterprotesters try to burn a Confederate battle flag taken from white nationalist protesters.
White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right" clash with counterprotesters.
A white nationalist is seen with a cut below his eye suffered during clashes with counterprotesters at Emancipation Park .
White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the alt-right movement exchange volleys of pepper spray with counterprotesters as they enter Emancipation Park.
A woman is treated for exposure to pepper spray during clashes between white nationalists and counterprotesters at Emancipation Park.
White nationalists use shields as they guard the entrance to Emancipation Park.
Counterprotesters line the route taken by white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally. After clashes with anti-fascist protesters and police, the rally was declared an unlawful gathering and people were forced out of Emancipation Park, formerly called Lee Park and home to a controversial statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
White nationalist Richard Spencer and his supporters clash with Virginia State Police in Emancipation Park.
Riot police form a line of defense in front of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park, recently renamed from Lee Park.
"It won't change until individuals who don't look like Nina and I decide that enough is enough," he added, referencing his fellow panelist and CNN political commentator, Nina Turner, who is also African-American.
Sellers said the events of Saturday's violent rally in Charlottesville, which led to the killing of counterprotester Heather Heyer, was not "a partisan issue."
Trump 'giving ... a platform'
"So many people confuse patriotism and prejudice, and what we saw on display was so much prejudice" he said, of the far right protestors.
"I hope that individuals, especially white evangelicals in the United States of America, stand up and say enough is enough," he added.
As for President Trump's initial reaction to Charlottesville, in which he said during a press conference on Tuesday that "both sides" could be blamed for the violence, Sellers had stern words.
"Donald Trump is perverting and giving these individuals a platform and he should not. That's all we're asking for," he said.