Progressive Jewish Leaders In Pittsburgh Say Trump Is Not Welcome To Visit

Well.

This is helpful.

According to the sourcelink, Jewish leaders from the progressive group Bend The Arc have written an open letter to President Trump, which reads as follows:

President Trump:

Yesterday, a gunman slaughtered 11 Americans during Shabbat morning services. We mourn with the victims’ families and pray for the wounded. Here in Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood, we express gratitude for the first responders and for the outpouring of support from our neighbors near and far. We are committed to healing as a community while we recommit ourselves to repairing our nation.

For the past three years your words and your policies have emboldened a growing white nationalist movement. You yourself called the murderer evil, but yesterday’s violence is the direct culmination of your influence.

President Trump, you are not welcome in Pittsburgh until you fully denounce white nationalism.

Our Jewish community is not the only group you have targeted. You have also deliberately undermined the safety of people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities. Yesterday’s massacre is not the first act of terror you incited against a minority group in our country.

President Trump, you are not welcome in Pittsburgh until you stop targeting and endangering all minorities.

The murderer’s last public statement invoked the compassionate work of the Jewish refugee service HIAS at the end of a week in which you spread lies and sowed fear about migrant families in Central America. He killed Jews in order to undermine the efforts of all those who find shared humanity with immigrants and refugees.

President Trump, you are not welcome in Pittsburgh until you cease your assault on immigrants and refugees.

The Torah teaches that every human being is made b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God.

This means all of us.

In our neighbors, Americans, and people worldwide who have reached out to give our community strength, there we find the image of God. While we cannot speak for all Pittsburghers, or even all Jewish Pittsburghers, we know we speak for a diverse and unified group when we say:

President Trump, you are not welcome in Pittsburgh until you commit yourself to compassionate, democratic policies that recognize the dignity of all of us.

Bend the Arc: Pittsburgh

Jamie Forrest

Joshua Friedman

Jamie Harris

Tammy Hepps

Harry Hochheiser

Sasha King

Jonathan Mayo

Elinor S. Nathanson

Avigail S. Oren

Kate Rothstein

Yael Silk

Listen – I get that these people are grieving. But people can grieve and simultaneously be full of crap, and unfortunately that’s exactly what we have here.

President Trump wanted to show his support to the families who lost loved ones in Saturday’s massacre, and said as much to reporters. And this is the community’s response. How is this helpful? How does this promote unity?

It’s true that Trump recently called himself a nationalist. What he did not do was call himself a WHITE nationalist, which is a very very very different thing. I’m not entirely sure how the word “nationalism” got so completely bastardized, but at its core – it’s patriotism and a desire to put your own country first, maintain sovereignty, and have a common shared culture. That’s pretty much it. Its root definition isn’t sinister or evil. Nope – what’s sinister and evil are individuals who twist that definition into meaning SUPREMACY.

Regardless, when these Jewish leaders write that the violence at the synagogue is “the direct culmination of your influence,” that is sheer nonsense and a willful attempt to blame the actions of one insane lunatic on a President who the same lunatic HATED because of his belief that Trump was associated with Jews. Trump HAS denounced white nationalism, for crying out loud.

For this group to suggest Trump himself has “targeted” them along with “people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities,” WTF are they even talking about??? And how do they not see how THIS IS THE VERY RHETORIC that is doing so much harm to our country? HIS OWN DAUGHTER IS JEWISH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

This letter says that Trump incited multiple acts of terror against minorities, you guys. It Actually Says That. They say he’s a “danger” to minorities, even though this is the best economy for minorities in DECADES, and even though he keeps hiring minorities to various prominent positions.

There is no “assault” on immigrants and refugees. This is simply more hysteria from the Bend The Arc leaders. What there IS – is a desire to maintain a strong border and protect national security interests by KNOWING WHO THE HELL IS COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY.

I’m sick of this feigned outrage by people on the Left who accept no responsibility for the role their own leaders play in dividing this country. With all due respect, these Jewish leaders had an opportunity to not be complete a$$holes – and they blew it.

I’d love to be the bigger person here, but I own it – I’m not. I’m freaking pissed at this letter and its ridiculous implications. Enough is enough.

PS. This a screenshot from their website. Shocker.