Have We No Decency? A Response to President Trump
 

The escalation of racialized rhetoric from the President of the United States has evoked responses from all sides of the political spectrum. On one side, African American leaders have led the way in rightfully expressing outrage. On the other, those aligned with the President seek to downplay the racial overtones of his attacks, or remain silent.

As faith leaders who serve at Washington National Cathedral ¬– the sacred space where America gathers at moments of national significance – we feel compelled to ask: After two years of President Trump’s words and actions, when will Americans have enough?

As Americans, we have had such moments before, and as a people we have acted. Events of the last week call to mind a similarly dark period in our history:

“Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. … You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency?”

That was U.S. Army attorney Joseph Welch on June 9, 1954, when he confronted Senator Joseph McCarthy before a live television audience, effectively ending McCarthy’s notorious hold on the nation. Until then, under the guise of ridding the country of Communist infiltration, McCarthy had free rein to say and do whatever he wished. With unbridled speech, he stoked the fears of an anxious nation with lies; destroyed the careers of countless Americans; and bullied into submissive silence anyone who dared criticize him.

In retrospect, it’s clear that Welch’s question was directed less toward McCarthy and more to the nation as a whole. Had Americans had enough? Where was our sense of decency?

We have come to accept a level of insult and abuse in political discourse that violates each person’s sacred identity as a child of God. We have come to accept as normal a steady stream of language and accusations coming from the highest office in the land that plays to racist elements in society.

This week, President Trump crossed another threshold. Not only did he insult a leader in the fight for racial justice and equality for all persons; not only did he savage the nations from which immigrants to this country have come; but now he has condemned the residents of an entire American city. Where will he go from here?

Make no mistake about it, words matter. And, Mr. Trump’s words are dangerous.

These words are more than a “dog-whistle.” When such violent dehumanizing words come from the President of the United States, they are a clarion call, and give cover, to white supremacists who consider people of color a sub-human “infestation” in America. They serve as a call to action from those people to keep America great by ridding it of such infestation. Violent words lead to violent actions.

When does silence become complicity? What will it take for us all to say, with one voice, that we have had enough? The question is less about the president’s sense of decency, but of ours.

As leaders of faith who believe in the sacredness of every single human being, the time for silence is over. We must boldly stand witness against the bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia that is hurled at us, especially when it comes from the highest offices of this nation. We must say that this will not be tolerated. To stay silent in the face of such rhetoric is for us to tacitly condone the violence of these words. We are compelled to take every opportunity to oppose the indecency and dehumanization that is racism, whether it comes to us through words or actions.

There is another moment in our history worth recalling. On January 21, 2017, Washington National Cathedral hosted an interfaith national prayer service, a sacred tradition to honor the peaceful transfer of political power. We prayed for the President and his young Administration to have “wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties that they may serve all people of this nation, and promote the dignity and freedom of every person.”

That remains our prayer today for us all.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington
The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of Washington National Cathedral
The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas, Canon Theologian of Washington National Cathedral

what about all the black leaders who say he’s not racist?
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Apparently The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is not one of them.

well the niece of Martin luther king jr is one of them. i never said all blacks love the guy. but many do, and many of those are leaders in the black community. so maybe the racist tag has political origins, rather than actual racism.
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20% is not many.

From yesterday's Quinnipiac poll

Forty-six percent of white voters believe Trump is racist, compared to 80 percent of black voters.

when the entire
media never stops saying it, that’s effective. that’s why your side does what they do, when they know they’ve lost the debate on policy.

why isn’t bernie sanders racist for saying baltimore looks like a 3rd world country? please explain. i’m all ears.
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Poverty, homelessness, & crime can be seen across America.

Singling out one city and Congressman (especially of the pedigree of @RepCummings) is not about addressing the problems.

It's about something else.

And we all know it

Not good enough. bernie singled out baltimore. called it a “third world country”, which could
also easily be interpreted as having racial overtones.

It was about elijah cummings. and it wasn’t about his skin color, it was about the fact that Cummings despises trump. trump is crude to everyone who dislikes him, regardless of their race. he’s an equal opportunity azzhole.
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"What the hell? We should just take all this chit down.” - Former Baltimore Mayor (D) Cindy Pugh

"Whoa, you can smell the rats." - Former Baltimore Mayor Cindy Pugh (D)

“Baltimore is a Fu ck ing ghetto...it is chit” - Maryland Senate President Mike Miller (D-Md.)

“Anyone who took the walk that we took around this neighborhood would not think you’re in a wealthy nation. You would think that you were in a Third World country.” - Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt)

but because trump also took a swipe at Elijah Cummings, his tweet was racist. Trump cannot criticize a black person without it being racist. Because he never attacks white people who dislike him, right?
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Just ask Rosie

Keep believing boys, history repeats

Peggy Wallace Kennedy went to political rallies with her dad – George Wallace – as he ran for president in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

She saw hate and anger that a child should not have to see. She felt a bitterness she did not at the time comprehend.

She didn’t know why protesters in the northeast threw ink on her new beige dress outside one of those rallies.

But then, she didn’t understand the virulence of her father’s most devoted supporters, either, or his desire to keep black people from attending the University of Alabama, or the mindless rage that drove the crowds to violence.

She understands now. She understands all too well. Her father was wrong.

“We cannot go backward,” she told a group of teachers at the Birmingham Public Library last week. “We have to go forward.”

“Unfortunately it does look like the ‘60s now,” Wallace Kennedy said. “Each of us individually need to act with compassion and pray for our democracy. I hope we don’t go back. But it looks like where we are slipping … that seems to be where the top is taking us.”

Wallace Kennedy never said Donald Trump’s name out loud, but she likened his politics to that of her father’s tactics, only worse.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said. “I saw daddy a lot in 2016.”

Poverty, homelessness, & crime can be seen across America.

Singling out one city and Congressman is not about addressing the problems.

It's about something else.

And we all know it

yeah, Trump is comparable to Wallace. Atta boy Columbo.
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The democratic party is tripping over themselves to take us back to the 60's of the south, if it will help them generate votes. It's pretty #^&#^&#^&#^&ing appalling to tell the truth.

Show me one Blacks only water fountain, Blacks only restaurant booth, or Blacks only bus seats, just one. Any examples of the National Guard walking blacks into schools? Any at all.

We have Black mayors, Black governors, Black senators and even a Black president. We have Black Coaches, Black business owners, and Black CEO's. Opportunity is everywhere, There are laws against dicrimination in hiring, housing, and public access.

You want to see the problem with racism, take a look in the mirror. People like you that see it everywhere it doesn't exist, are the problem. People that want to keep it alive because it helps push an agenda are really just terrible people.

Are Racists out there? of course they are. but lately people see it where it doesn't exist. it's been used so much that it has lost its power, its become white noise. Used to be that when you earned that moniker, it was because you were a really heinous human being, now it gets used all the time, just because you don't agree with someone's point of view.

Martin Luther King said "I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." We were getting there, then all of a sudden that wasn't good enough.

Things any person who is not a racist would never say.

I am the least racist person you will ever meet.

I don't have a racist bone in my body.

But apparently Trump has no issue calling people racists and has been doing that for a long time.



Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
See June 2007 speech--is Obama a total racist?
11:15 AM · Oct 3, 2012·Twitter Web Client

Decided to still be part of the problem, I see? Good for you.

god you are an idiot. so
if someone denies being a racist, that means they are a racist.

so how does a true non racist defend himself, against charges of racism?
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its the only card they have left, and they are running the risk of over playing it. not sure endless and baseless accusations, gets them
victory in NC and OH. But we shall see.
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Behavior.

This is the same philosophy that determines tightening border security instigates more illegal entry. These are not intelligent people,they are simply malcontents throwing a Trumpy 4 year tantrum.
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Typical take one line from a speech and call it proof that someone else is a racist.

Sanders, an Independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats in Congress, gave the speech in question in Baltimore on Dec. 8, 2015. He said, “The fact of the matter is that America is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. But anyone who took the walk that we took around this neighborhood would not think you’re in a wealthy nation. You would think that you’re in a third world country.” and far more.

Watch the speech and then tell me it's equivalent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY3QKR4BnEQ

Trick Question, You Can't

right, sure. like
when john mccain adopted a black orphaned girl, NO ONE would dare call him a racist right? Right? tel that to obama.

to you, behavior that insulates one from charges of racism, is pure liberal behavior.
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you can be a kool
aid drinking liberal. that seems to insulate one from baseless charges of racism.
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so if trump had said “america is great, but baltimore is rat infested”, that would have been non-racist?
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trump married a foreigner, and oversaw a big increase in approved citizenship requests from immigrants. But he gets called a xenophobe 50 times a day.

He’s married to a foreigner, and gets called a xenophobe. And you’re telling us that behavior can insulate him from baseless charges of bigotry?
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Great strong men lead by example and believe in themselves, Trump is a weak insecure man and incapable of leading, only bullying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIjenjANqAk

Dropped your straw again didn't ya.

i agree trump is weak.

that doesn’t support your demonstrably ludicrous claim, that if one chooses to act like a non racist, that he won’t get called a racist. this has nothing o do with trump, he’s one of many people
labeled as racist after beating the left.

george w bush has done far more for africa than any human being who has ever lived, saved the lives of more than a million africans thanks to his work with aids and malaria. but he was a racist.
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i agree trump is weak.

that doesn’t support your demonstrably ludicrous claim, that if one chooses to act like a non racist, that he won’t get called a racist. this has nothing o do with trump, he’s one of many people
labeled as racist after beating the left.

george w bush has done far more for africa than any human being who has ever lived, saved the lives of more than a million africans thanks to his work with aids and malaria. but he was a racist.

McCains thanks for telling people
not to be afraid of obama, was being labeled a racist.
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