A year after violence sparked by white supremacists in Charlottesville claimed the life of a young civil rights activist and touched off a national conversation about race relations, the city's new mayor, Nikuyah Walker, says she is still so personally angered by President Trump that she has not been able to bring herself to even refer to him by name. The mayor holds him responsible for encouraging the rise of hate in America.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., expressed concern Thursday after President Trump reiterated his claim that there are many on the "other side" of the clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Va., who were bad people. Read his statement below:
The Congressional Black Caucus, a formidable bloc of lawmakers with a big say in the fate of President Donald Trump and his legislation, on Monday (Aug. 21) sent him a terse, clear message: We don't think you understand us at all. Its chairman, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, urged cancellation of next month's highly anticipated meeting between White House officials and leaders of the nation's historically black colleges, and he said he plans to have the 49-member caucus discuss whether to back Democratic-led efforts to impeach Trump.
Richmond said the president's remarks after the deadly Aug. 12 protest in Charlottesville, Va., show he has no commitment to the schools or to African Americans. Richmond said the caucus was outraged by Trump's assertion of "blame on both sides" for the violent Charlottesville rally dominated by neo-Nazis and white supremacists.
"You can make an argument based on pure competency and fitness to serve, and that's the conversation the caucus will have," Richmond told reporters in a conference call. The caucus includes 46 House Democrats, Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, and Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey.
"Am I concerned about high crimes and misdemeanors?" Richmond asked. "Absolutely. Am I concerned about this president's fitness to serve? Absolutely."
Read more: Congressional Black Caucus has had it with Trump, plans to discuss impeachment
By George L. Cook III African American Reports.
I keep expecting to wake up from this dream in a cold sweat and realize this is not real. Sadly that will not happen.
Many of us, my self-included didn't expect much from Donald Trump and expected him to be one of the worst presidents ever. What we did not expect was the President of the United States to be openly associated with and defending the actions of Nazi's and white supremacist.
We know live in an America where the President of the United States took more than 48 hours to condemn racial hatred. During his first press conference, he blamed "both" sides. He gave some lame excuse about waiting to get the facts at another failed press conference. The facts of what happened in Charlottesville have nothing to do with condemning white nationalist and white supremacist groups. "45" should have IMMEDIATELY said that racism and hate groups are wrong and that they will not be tolerated or accepted in the United States. He should have stated that he wants nothing to do with them and that he doesn't want their support. He didn't need the facts to do that.
But instead he keeps talking about wrong on both sides even though the action of the alt-right led to the death of Heather Heyer, not the actions of any counter protesters. He ignores the fact no one including two Virginia State Troopers would have died had the racist groups not come to Charlottesville Virginia to supposedly protest the removal of a General Lee monument.
This president seems to think that protesting hate and evil makes the counter protesters as bad as the white supremacist. How dare they say no to hate.
Not only that he thinks some of the alt-right/white nationalist are "fine people." I guess they are great examples of humanity when they are not hating African Americans, Hispanics, LGBTQ people, Muslims, Jews, or threatening to harm others that they feel superior to.
This is a president who at the time of this writing has not reached out to the mother of Heather Heyer, who died protesting hate, but he has taken the time to hold a second press conference to appease David Duke. A move which Duke appreciated:
Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists in BLM/Antifa https://t.co/tTESdV4LP0
— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) August 15, 2017
This is the same POTUS that took two days to respond to what white hate groups did in Charlottesville that caused three deaths but took 51 minutes to attack a black man, Kenneth Frazier when that black man and CEO of Merck resigned from Trump's American Manufacturing Council to protest Trump's indifference to hate groups.
It's time for everyone to face the fact which many of us already have, Trump is not the President of the United States but the President to that 38 % that make up his political base. He doesn't give a damn about the rest of us.
Sadly, this is not a dream, it's a nightmare.
George L. Cook III African American Reports.
— Merck (@Merck) August 14, 2017
Today, the Congressional Black Caucus released the following statement on the white supremacists violence that occurred today in Charlottesville, Va.:
“Since the campaign, President Trump has encouraged and emboldened the type of racism and violence we saw today in Charlottesville, Va. This is a president after all who has two white supremacists working for him in the White House – Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller. For these reasons, we weren't surprised President Trump couldn't bring himself to say the words "white supremacy,” "white supremacists," and “domestic terrorism” when he addressed the nation this afternoon, and that he instead chose to use racially coded dog whistles like ‘law and order’ and false equivalencies like ‘many sides.’
“Where is Attorney General Sessions? Instead of suppressing votes and dismantling affirmative action, he should be working with the Department of Homeland Security to investigate today's crimes. Where is the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security? The CBC urged Chairman McCaul months ago to investigate this sort of domestic terrorism; now, we urge him to do this once again and to hold a hearing immediately. As 49 members who represent and are part of a community who has for centuries been victimized by white supremacists, we strongly condemn what happened today in Charlottesville. We also condemn the Administration's poor response to it.”
[SOURCE]
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) released this statement following the unlawful hate rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, this morning.
“The blatant racism on display in Charlottesville is absolutely disgusting. It’s hard to believe that in 2017 we are still plagued by so much race-based hatred. The NAACP will always stand against hate and any persons who threaten the moral right of our community,” said Derrick Johnson, interim president and CEO of the NAACP.
“These kinds of actions should come as no surprise, however. We are living under an administration that campaigned on hatred, discrimination and xenophobia. They have given permission and a platform for bigots, like the right-wing, white nationalists in Charlottesville, to thrive and spread violence.
“While we acknowledge and appreciate President Trump’s disavowment of the hatred which has resulted in a loss of life today, we call on the President to take the tangible step to remove Steve Bannon – a well-known white supremacist leader – from his team of advisers. Bannon serves as a symbol of white nationalism and his high place in the White House only energizes that sentiment.”
“We must help to bridge what divides Americans rather than widen the gap between us. In the meantime, the NAACP stands strong with our brothers and sisters in Charlottesville who are gathering, marching and singing for peace. We are and will continue to be steadfast and immovable in the fight against discrimination, prejudice and hatred – and we are not afraid.”
DNC Chair Tom Perez has released a statement on the violence during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville Virginia. Unlike Trump's statement on the protest, Perez's is not ambiguous when it comes to who is at fault for the violence. Read his statement below:
"The demonstrations by white supremacists this weekend have no place in our country. This vile display of racism is an attack on our democracy and an affront to humanity.
"America is no place for bigots. And to be silent in the face of their hatred is to condone it. That's why it is on all of us to stand up to these reprehensible acts and speak out against white supremacy. We cannot allow a group of cowards instill fear in our communities.
"The Democratic Party stands with Governor McAuliffe, Lieutenant Governor Northam, the people of Virginia, and every American united against these vicious and violent attempts to divide us."
There is much contention as Confederate monuments and flags on state capital grounds come down around the United States. Those who support these flags/monuments say they want them to stay in place to honor the men from the South who fought and died in the Civil War. If they want to honor these men then maybe they should remember the thoughts of one of the Confederacy's best generals, Robert E. Lee who thought the flag should no longer be flown after the war ended. Learn more in the video below.
