President Donald Trump attacked Rep. Maxine Waters' intelligence on Thursday at a rally. Waters has encouraged Americans to protest against the Trump adminisitration's immigration policies. (Photo: AFGE/Flickr/cc)
Black Leaders Express "Profound Indignation" Over Schumer and Pelosi's Failure to Defend Maxine Waters From Trump Attacks
"We call on the Democratic Party leadership to step up and publicly support Congresswoman Waters, who has been receiving death threats for speaking truthfully and boldly in support of immigrant families and challenging the Trump administration to end their inhumane and immoral policy."
More than 200 black leaders denounced Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) this week for failing to come to the defense of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) amid President Donald Trump's attacks on the 14-term congresswoman--attacks which continued Thursday night at the president's rally in Great Falls, Montana.
"We call on the Democratic Party leadership to step up and publicly support Congresswoman Waters, who has been receiving death threats for speaking truthfully and boldly in support of immigrant families and challenging the Trump administration to end their inhumane and immoral policy that has yet to reunite over 2,000 children with their parents and continues to lock up refugees seeking asylum in the United States of America," wrote the mostly female signers of a letter sent to the Democratic leaders.
Signers of the letter (pdf) included faith leaders, social justice advocates, community organizers, and business owners.
At a campaign-style rally in Montana on Thursday night, Trump repeated his claim that Waters is a "low-IQ individual," telling his supporters that Waters had an IQ "somewhere in the mid 60s."
In addition to being a leading voice calling for Trump's impeachment, Waters has also urged more public protest against the administration and encouraged more people to follow the example of those in recent weeks who have directly confronted Trump officials and Republican leaders in public over the child detention and family separation policies.
Waters received threatening mail and was forced to cancel two events after making her comments late last month, after Trump posted an ominous tweet reading, "Be careful what you wish for, Max!"
Schumer criticized Waters for suggesting Americans should speak directly to public servants about their policies, calling direct confrontations with Trump officials "not American," while Pelosi suggested in a tweet that Waters' remarks were "unacceptable."
"We write to share our profound indignation and deep disappointment over your recent failure to protect Congresswoman Waters from unwarranted attacks from the Trump administration and others in the GOP," reads the letter. "That failure was further compounded by your decision to unfairly deride her as being 'uncivil' and 'un-American.' In doing so, we believe this mischaracterizes her call to action for peaceful democratic assembly and the exercise of her constitutional rights to free speech in support of defenseless immigrant children and their families."
In the wake of the letter sent earlier in the week, and following Trump's remarks in Montana, Pelosi on Thursday night tweeted that the president should stop "making despicable attacks" on the congresswoman.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
More than 200 black leaders denounced Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) this week for failing to come to the defense of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) amid President Donald Trump's attacks on the 14-term congresswoman--attacks which continued Thursday night at the president's rally in Great Falls, Montana.
"We call on the Democratic Party leadership to step up and publicly support Congresswoman Waters, who has been receiving death threats for speaking truthfully and boldly in support of immigrant families and challenging the Trump administration to end their inhumane and immoral policy that has yet to reunite over 2,000 children with their parents and continues to lock up refugees seeking asylum in the United States of America," wrote the mostly female signers of a letter sent to the Democratic leaders.
Signers of the letter (pdf) included faith leaders, social justice advocates, community organizers, and business owners.
At a campaign-style rally in Montana on Thursday night, Trump repeated his claim that Waters is a "low-IQ individual," telling his supporters that Waters had an IQ "somewhere in the mid 60s."
In addition to being a leading voice calling for Trump's impeachment, Waters has also urged more public protest against the administration and encouraged more people to follow the example of those in recent weeks who have directly confronted Trump officials and Republican leaders in public over the child detention and family separation policies.
Waters received threatening mail and was forced to cancel two events after making her comments late last month, after Trump posted an ominous tweet reading, "Be careful what you wish for, Max!"
Schumer criticized Waters for suggesting Americans should speak directly to public servants about their policies, calling direct confrontations with Trump officials "not American," while Pelosi suggested in a tweet that Waters' remarks were "unacceptable."
"We write to share our profound indignation and deep disappointment over your recent failure to protect Congresswoman Waters from unwarranted attacks from the Trump administration and others in the GOP," reads the letter. "That failure was further compounded by your decision to unfairly deride her as being 'uncivil' and 'un-American.' In doing so, we believe this mischaracterizes her call to action for peaceful democratic assembly and the exercise of her constitutional rights to free speech in support of defenseless immigrant children and their families."
In the wake of the letter sent earlier in the week, and following Trump's remarks in Montana, Pelosi on Thursday night tweeted that the president should stop "making despicable attacks" on the congresswoman.
More than 200 black leaders denounced Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) this week for failing to come to the defense of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) amid President Donald Trump's attacks on the 14-term congresswoman--attacks which continued Thursday night at the president's rally in Great Falls, Montana.
"We call on the Democratic Party leadership to step up and publicly support Congresswoman Waters, who has been receiving death threats for speaking truthfully and boldly in support of immigrant families and challenging the Trump administration to end their inhumane and immoral policy that has yet to reunite over 2,000 children with their parents and continues to lock up refugees seeking asylum in the United States of America," wrote the mostly female signers of a letter sent to the Democratic leaders.
Signers of the letter (pdf) included faith leaders, social justice advocates, community organizers, and business owners.
At a campaign-style rally in Montana on Thursday night, Trump repeated his claim that Waters is a "low-IQ individual," telling his supporters that Waters had an IQ "somewhere in the mid 60s."
In addition to being a leading voice calling for Trump's impeachment, Waters has also urged more public protest against the administration and encouraged more people to follow the example of those in recent weeks who have directly confronted Trump officials and Republican leaders in public over the child detention and family separation policies.
Waters received threatening mail and was forced to cancel two events after making her comments late last month, after Trump posted an ominous tweet reading, "Be careful what you wish for, Max!"
Schumer criticized Waters for suggesting Americans should speak directly to public servants about their policies, calling direct confrontations with Trump officials "not American," while Pelosi suggested in a tweet that Waters' remarks were "unacceptable."
"We write to share our profound indignation and deep disappointment over your recent failure to protect Congresswoman Waters from unwarranted attacks from the Trump administration and others in the GOP," reads the letter. "That failure was further compounded by your decision to unfairly deride her as being 'uncivil' and 'un-American.' In doing so, we believe this mischaracterizes her call to action for peaceful democratic assembly and the exercise of her constitutional rights to free speech in support of defenseless immigrant children and their families."
In the wake of the letter sent earlier in the week, and following Trump's remarks in Montana, Pelosi on Thursday night tweeted that the president should stop "making despicable attacks" on the congresswoman.