Chicago Tribune op ed statement

[LibraryLady2]

I agree with what was written in this editorial



Your response to Trump’s racist ‘shithole’ comment will be remembered


What did you say when President Donald Trump referred to Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations as “shithole countries”?

What did you say when the president of the United States followed that comment by suggesting he’d rather see more immigrants from countries like Norway?

Whether now or in the future, you will be asked this question: What did you say?

Did you call out the obvious racism behind those statements? Did you acknowledge that the leader of the free world — by title, anyway — had shown himself to be a white supremacist, casually expressing his dislike of brown-skinned immigrants and preference for white European immigrants?

Were you outraged that such comments from a sitting president were antithetical to the ideals that have always made America a beacon of hope and opportunity?

What did you say?

Did you speak out?

Did you denounce the comments, as Rep. Mia Love, a Utah Republican whose parents came to America from Haiti, did, saying in a statement: “This behavior is unacceptable from the leader of our nation. … The President must apologize to both the American people and the nations he so wantonly maligned.”

Or did you keep quiet?

Take note, because you will be asked. Trump’s has been a presidency filled with jaw-dropping moments of offensive behavior, but this one will stand out over time, both for its profane nature and its naked racism.

So what did you say?

Did you look for excuses? Did you toss out a “Well, what about …” scenario you thought might take the heat off?

Did you scream something about “identity politics” and try to pretend that this is the fault of others, not the fault of the transparently racist old man in the White House?

Did you say he has a point? Did you say, “Well, those countries are shitholes, aren’t they?”

Did you forget how people once described immigrants from Italy and Ireland? Did you forget the words on a plaque at the Statue of Liberty?

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Did you forget those words, or just ignore them? Did you smile about a tax break and say nothing?

Did you not put the pieces together and consider all the other times Trump has shown us exactly who he is?

Did you tamp down memories of his calls for the execution of the Central Park Five, even after the young men, four black and one Latino, were found innocent?

Did you explain away what Trump was implying in this tweet from 2013: “According to Bill O'Reilly, 80% of all the shootings in New York City are blacks-if you add Hispanics, that figure goes to 98%. 1% white.”

Did you disregard his years-long birther crusade against the nation’s first black president? His description of Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals? His regular criticism that immigrants coming from predominately nonwhite nations are examples of those countries’ “worst people”?

Did you not let yourself see the pattern? Did you twist logic into knots and blame it on the media? On political correctness?

What did you say when our president called other countries “shitholes” and you had to shield your children’s ears from profanity on the nightly news?

What did you tell your children about this moment? How did you explain the president’s words?

Tell me, what did you say? Mark it down, let it be known. Because you will be asked this again someday.

And if you stayed silent, if you made excuses, if you tried to fool yourself into believing this is appropriate presidential behavior, if you let it slide because this presidency might somehow line your pocketbook, then you will be remembered as complicit, as one who stood by and let America’s decency get dragged through the mud.

And if you laughed, or if you smiled, or if you nodded your head in agreement, you will be remembered just as Trump will: as a racist, a fool and an absolute embarrassment.

rhuppke@chicagotribune.com

[ralph]

----------- course if TRUMP actually called some countries 'sh1thole' countries i agree with him . Heard there is some dispute as to whether he said it . --- Not trying to prove anything with map but see my 'open defecation' map just for interest . --- http://riceinstitute.org/blog/new-maps- ... the-world/ --- Anyway there are lots of these 'sh1thole' countries and the people that come from them would be the last people in the world that i want my kids and grandkids to have to . be FORCED to associate with in school or on the streets or in the workplace L.L. .

[LibraryLady2]

Ralph:

And if you laughed, or if you smiled, or if you nodded your head in agreement, you will be remembered just as Trump will: as a racist, a fool and an absolute embarrassment.

[ralph]

Ralph:

And if you laughed, or if you smiled, or if you nodded your head in agreement, you will be remembered just as Trump will: as a racist, a fool and an absolute embarrassment.

--------------------------------------- To liberals , dems , lefties , bush conservatives and YOU perhaps . SO WHAT L.L. ??

[ralph]

all that needs to be done is for Americans and other Westerners to wipe away the tears from their eyes and to look at the 'sh1thole' countries of the world and see if they want the same thing here in the USA L.L.. .

[GFB]

I said “Go Trump!”

[ralph]

but here , looks like The TRUMP denies . --- https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/12/politics ... index.html --- course its my opinion that no matter if he said it or not his popularity will rise and he may snag some independents and those on the fence that recognize reality L.L..

[GFB]

Hilarious watching the media and the Dems feign horror.

This is how Americans talk about places like Haiti behind closed doors..which is where Trump was.

[ralph]

Hilarious watching the media and the Dems feign horror.

This is how Americans talk about places like Haiti behind closed doors..which is where Trump was.

--------------------------------- ditto !!

[LibraryLady2]

Hilarious watching the media and the Dems feign horror.

This is how Americans talk about places like Haiti behind closed doors..which is where Trump was.

Perhaps in your circle of friends. I will say, I have NEVER heard anyone in my family or friends talk like that about any country...even behind closed doors.

[ralph]

your family is probably all liberals , besides that i think that you were in public education and THEY all tend to be liberal and 'dems' L.L..

[Sangersteve]

.Sometimes something is what it's called.

[ralph]

.Sometimes something is what it's called.

------------------------- ditto , and all the poor 'sh1tholers' deserve to move to the USA !!

[GFB]

your family is probably all liberals , besides that i think that you were in public education and THEY all tend to be liberal and 'dems' L.L..

..and she’s neverr been anywhere either..except places that liberals tend to go.

..and I’m sure she believes all countries are equal..and also all cultures.

But even at that,I guarantee you there are many places in the world she would not go..she just uses a different word with the same meaning.

[grouchy]

your family is probably all liberals , besides that i think that you were in public education and THEY all tend to be liberal and 'dems' L.L..

Nope.

[LibraryLady2]

I have a few bigots and racists in my family, unfortunately.
I don't hang out with them.

[kent]

because trump haters are just that, haters. They'll run out and buy a fictional book as long as it's targeted at Trump.

I've heard that term all my life. I've also heard the elitist refer to Heartland states as "the arm pit of America", or other derogatory remarks... no outcry.

People look for racism in everything. When I heard about this comment, I immediately thought he was talking about the government that was running them. I also cringed that he said it, IF he said it. I'm sure Obama, or Clinton, or any other democrat president EVER uttered a foul word or said anything derogatory. They just had everyone in their back pocket and didn't leak anything.

I will never go to Haiti... I will no longer go to Mexico... I have no desire to go to certain countries in Africa. Why? not because of what the president said, but because I don't want to have to fear for my life. My coworker couldn't go home (Ixtapa) to see her 103(or 104) year old grandfather over the Christmas break because she feared for their lives because the upstanding citizens were following people from the airport and killing them. Of course these are the same fine individuals our former administration was sending money, guns, and ammunition too...

By the way... if you end up paying les in taxes this year, or getting money back... don't be a hypocrite...don't take the money. Send it to Haiti, send it to Mexico, send it back to our government.

[ralph]

Yep . armpit of America or flyover country . Course it doesn't bother me and i actually like the insults .

[rusty]

If the hood fits.....well......you know the rest.

I've always found it humorous that people say, "they're playing the race card". So what? If the race card needs to be played, why not play it? EVERY DAMN TIME someone is called a racist the first thing out of the mouths of the apologists is "they're playing the race card" Well, racism exists. You can deny it all you want, but it is what it is.

Just because someone says, "I have black friends", doesn't mean they aren't racist.

I look at some of these posts by all these good Muricans on this board, and I have to wonder what kind bizzaro universe they live in.

Damn sure not the America I want my grandkids to grow up in.

[GFB]

So cheese ball.

Maybe they’re just s***holes.