Friend,
The words Donald Trump chose to use this past week were purposefully racist. He invoked a centuries-old weapon to send a message to all people of color: Your identity does not belong to you, your history does not belong to you, your body does not belong to you.
It’s not the first time this President has spewed racist and xenophobic rhetoric. From the beginning, bigotry has been a big part of Trump’s political playbook.
In the face of so much hatred, it's time to show unrelenting courage in both standing up to Trump and fighting to make sure our country lives up to its most fundamental values. In a moment like this, there’s a moral imperative for all of us to speak out -- to unequivocally take a side against this attack.
Trump’s message, sent from the Oval Office, is a dangerous declaration of whom he deems worthy of protection. It’s the kind of rhetoric that gives license to the violent white supremacy that he refuses to condemn.
And his words reveal a truth: Donald Trump chose to target four outspoken women of color because he believes he can.
He targeted them for the same reason we live in a country where women of color are disproportionately targeted by our criminal justice system; where Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women; and where Black and Latina women are paid cents on the dollar compared to other groups. And, it’s also the same reason we see immigration policies from this administration steeped in bigotry.
But this president’s bigotry doesn’t exist in a vacuum -- it’s the result of centuries-old systematic oppression in our country.
The next president of the United States has an obligation not only to condemn this vile, racist language but to commit to repairing centuries of harm with an unapologetically bold vision for our nation.
This election cycle is a defining moment for our country. Are we going to find common cause or are we going to allow someone to rip us apart using the vicious knife of racism and bigotry?
This week proved that there’s so much at stake in this race -- and we can't afford to get this wrong. If you’re with me, and ready to take on some of the biggest injustices in our country, then chip in if you can and let’s build something incredible.
Together, we will rise.
Cory
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