Dear John,
Last week communities across the country protested ongoing racial injustice and
faced a resurgence of coronavirus. Donald Trump chose this moment to escalate
his all-out assault on our oceans as well!
Trump took advantage of the crisis and doubled down on his racist agenda by
placing a former governor with a proven track record of racism at the helm of a
new seafood task force, while at the same time eliminating protections for the
first and only marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean.
Trump continues to exploit national crises to keep racists in power while lining
the pockets of his cronies. We need you to demand that the White House withdraw
its appointment of racist former Maine Governor LePage and stop attacking our
oceans.
Tell the White House: Stop putting racists in positions of power!
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One way to help ensure just and equitable treatment for all Americans is to be
cognizant about the people we place in positions of power. To start -- we must
reject “leaders” who have a proven track record of racism. It is obvious we
cannot trust Trump to play by these clear and reasonable directives.
Paul LePage has a documented history of racism, including statements like the
following while at a town-hall meeting:
"These are guys with the name D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty -- these types of guys .
. . They come from Connecticut and New York, they come up here, they sell their
heroin, then they go back home. Incidentally, half the time they impregnate a
young white girl before they leave, which is a real sad thing because then we
have another issue that we've got to deal with down the road."
And this, during a statehouse press conference:
"You’ve been in uniform? You shoot at the enemy . . . You try to identify the
enemy and the enemy right now, the overwhelming majority of people coming in,
are people of color or people of Hispanic origin.”
When Trump doesn’t hold racist people like this accountable for their words, but
instead puts them in positions of power, he sanctions racist statements and
policies. This unjust cycle prolongs racial inequality. It poisons our
government and communities of color.
It’s time to say enough is enough. This isn’t the first racist appointment or
policy that Trump has made, but you can speak up to make it the last. We need
your help pressuring the White House to remove racists from government
positions!
Use Your Voice: Tell Trump to remove racist Lepage from the Seafood Task Force!
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Trump’s appointment of LePage wasn’t the only attack on our oceans and planet
last week. He also signed a proclamation that allows commercial fishing in the
only marine national monument in the Northeast region -- just in time for World
Oceans Day!
However, Trump does not have the authority to make such a significant change in
protections and chose to forge forward unlawfully.
This spectacular underwater habitat is home to rare and endangered species. The
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is comprised of 4,913
square miles of deep-sea canyons, underwater mountains, rare corals, endangered
whales, sea turtles, and more. Opening it to commercial fishing will result in
jeopardizing the fragile ocean ecosystem.
Between nominating LePage and gutting protections for a National Marine
Monument, it’s clear that Trump is more interested in protecting Big Seafood
than in standing up for communities or the planet. Friend, we need you to fight back.
Hold the Trump Administration accountable for putting Big Seafood ahead of
people and our oceans!
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Standing with you,
Hallie Templeton
Senior Oceans Campaigner
Friends of the Earth
Contact Us:Friends of the Earth U.S.
Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA
1-877-843-8687
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