It's been less than a week (!) since the installation of neo- fascist authoritarian Donald "Rump" Trump, and the scope of outrageous attacks on American democracy has been nothing less than jaw- dropping. From gag orders on Federal agencies, to drafting an order that would allow torture in re- opened "black site" prisons, to undermining Obamacare, to taking down climate change data from EPA's web site, to repeated lies about "massive voter fraud" in order to justify more voter suppression, and on and on, Rump's Russo- Republican regime is acting quickly before opposition can fully form (with some hand- wringing Democrats, it may never form -- check out the blowback Senate Dems are getting on their lame "tactics").
But one action deserves particular opprobrium: the restriction (essentially a ban) on Muslim refugees from entering the U.S. The leader of one group that stands with particular historic moral authority said what most Americans now believe about such an immoral action. Here's the executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect:
“The Statue of Liberty weeps over President Trump’s discrimination,” Steven Goldstein wrote in a statement on Facebook. “President Trump is beyond the wrong side of history. He is driving our nation off a moral cliff.” [snip]
“President Trump is now exacerbating the largest global refugee crisis in history,” Goldstein wrote on the center’s Facebook page. “His slamming America’s doors on the starving, the wounded and the abused is a grotesque blot on our nation’s history of freedom. The President’s actions are an embarrassment to the timeless vision of America as inscribed by Emma Lazarus to “give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
“Demonizing refugees and immigrants, and spending billions of taxpayer dollars to keep them out of our nation, will go down in American history as one of the most tragic deviations from our national conscience,” Goldstein concluded. (our emphasis)In additional white nationalist news, Rump has also directed that work begin on a wall on the Mexican border and threatened an assault on "sanctuary cities" with loss of Federal financial aid if they fail to cooperate in his deportation agenda. Joining the Anne Frank Center in condemning Rump's vile discrimination were other religious leaders, including:
... Rev. Steven Martin of the National Council of Churches offered solidarity with the Muslim community as well as other immigrants who will likely be affected by Trump’s policies.
“I cannot believe that state sponsored persecution against a class of Americans is taking place,” he said. “Even though I’ve been watching it grow, I cannot believe it.”
Martin said that the National Council of Churches, which represents roughly 45 million Christians from 38 religious denominations across the U.S., supports sanctuary cities and condemns “any attempts to define terrorism as a product of any one religion,” as well as “any attempts to place a religious test upon refugees attempting to build their new lives in the United States.”
“This is a big, big deal,” he added. “Today is the day for action.” (our emphasis)It will turn out that every day from now on is a day for action. The fact that they're coming at us fast and furious makes this all the more important to grasp and respond accordingly.
BONUS:
BONUS II: If you didn't catch David Muir's interview of Rump on ABC, here's the transcript; Charles Pierce was rightfully horrified.First they came for the Latinos, Muslims, women, gays, poor people, intellectuals and scientists and then it was Wednesday.— Jonathan M. Katz (@KatzOnEarth) January 25, 2017
