A group in Fresno is formally requesting that City Council denounce republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
Las Hormigas de Fresno, a coalition of Immigrant Rights Groups, Community Activist, Student Groups, Womens Rights, Mental Health Advocates and Political Advocacy groups presented a letter to the City Council asking them to pass a resolution to publicly speak out against Trump and his hate rhetoric. We will be holding a press conference in front of city hall to announce the request. Please join us to ask city council to do the right thing.
A copy of the letter is posted on social media. The letter reads:
To whom it should concern,
We, the undersigned community groups and leaders have come together in a collective to address an important issue we feel has been publicly overlooked by our local politicians.
Recently Donald Trump has gained enormous amounts of publicity for his hateful comments about immigrants (specifically Mexican immigrants), Women, and Muslims. His outrages comments not only demonstrate his ignorance about this population but also expose him as a bully.
There are anti-bullying campaigns on elementary, middle and high school campus in an effort to combat the bullying endemic in this country. In school we teach our children that bullying is unacceptable however, by not speaking out against this public hate speech we are condoning the bullying of an entire population by a single ignorant man.
In a country that is continuously touting itself as “post-racial” and embracing of all people and cultures his rhetoric personifies this great societal disease of our time; the racism that underlies our society. His statements embody the racist, anti-immigration and misogynistic views that still permeate our society. This system that thrives on systemic racism and continuously criminalizes people of color is a breeding ground for the type of bigoted rhetoric that Trump has become notorious for.
His hate speech and outright lies about Mexicans and immigrants are untruths that serve only create a hyper-suspicious public that feels justified in carried out hate crimes as we have seen happen in Boston, Mass. Those with similarly hateful and racist messages have found a platform in Trump, attending his rallies to also yell hateful ant-Muslim and anti-Immigrant slogans,acts which Trump condones. Giving support to further bullying.
His lies against immigrant populations have been disproven time and again including in a study by Professor Tim Wadsworth of the University of Colorado who’s 2010 study found communities that have seen a high increase in immigrant populations demonstrate decrease in crime.
For these reasons we address you now, in order to remind you of the obligation you as elected officials have to directly represent the interests and needs of your constituency. We are asking you to fulfil this role by raising your voice and publicly speaking out against Trump and the kind of hate he both inspires and represents.
It is important to note that while Trump may be the current poster child for racist rhetoric, ridding our airwaves of his hate speech and public bullying is not the solution to the underlying issues which plague our society. Trump is the tip of the iceberg and in taking a public stand against him and those who seek to persecute particular populations of our country is an important first step towards a truly inclusive United States of America. We urge you to take this first step and follow the example set by our State Senate who recently presented a resolution to “Dump Trump”. Do your part to be on the right side go history and move towards a better world where all worlds fit.
Sincerely,
Hormigas Fresno
Join the Event Page for more information about the press conference.
