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CAIR Condemns Trump's Racist False Equivalence of Impeachment Inquiry to 'Lynching'


WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned President Donald Trump's misuse of the term "lynching" to describe the House Democrats' impeachment inquiry. That term is historically associated with white supremacist terrorism and the murder of African-Americans.

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

"Once again, President Trump is on the wrong side of history and humanity.

"'Lynching' is a word that will forever be connected to the extrajudicial murder of thousands of African-Americans by white supremacist terrorists.

"President Trump's misuse of the term to describe the impeachment process, which is clearly outlined in the Constitution, serves as yet another reminder of his racist, white supremacist mindset and his willful ignorance of our nation's dark history of racism."

Earlier this month, CAIR and its Minnesota chapter condemned President Trump's racist rant at a campaign rally in that state targeting Somali-Americans.

To cheers and jeers by an almost all-white crowd, Trump said: "For many years leaders in Washington brought large numbers of refugees to your state from Somalia (jeers) without considering the impact on schools and communities and taxpayers. . .We will always protect American families first, and that has not been done in Minnesota."

SEE: CAIR, CAIR-MN Condemn Trump's Racist Rant Targeting Somali-Americans
https://www.cair.com/cair_cair_mn_condemn_trump_s_racist_rant_targeting_somali_americans

In July, CAIR condemned a series of racist tweets by President Trump targeting female congresswomen. Trump's tweets suggested the congresswomen "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. . .You can't leave fast enough."

He did not name his intended targets, but he apparently meant Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts; Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan; and Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Omar was born in Somalia, while Tlaib was born to Palestinian immigrants in Detroit. Pressley is African-American and was born in Cincinnati. Ocasio-Cortez was born in New York City to a family of Puerto Rican heritage.

SEE: CAIR Condemns Trump's Racist 'Go Back' Where 'They Came' From Tweets Targeting Congresswomen
https://www.cair.com/cair_condemns_trump_s_racist_go_back_where_they_came_from_tweets_targeting_congresswomen

In January 2018, CAIR condemned Trump's racist comments targeting Haitians and immigrants from African countries.

SEE: Action Alert: CAIR Condemns Trump's Bigoted Remarks, Asks Imams to Offer Friday Sermons Urging Rejection of Racism
https://www.cair.com/action_alert_cair_condemns_trump_s_bigoted_remarks_asks_imams_to_offer_friday_sermons_urging_rejection_of_racism

In August 2017, CAIR condemned President Trump for blaming "many sides" for the violence between the anti-racist protesters and white supremacists in Charlottesville and failed to specifically repudiate the white supremacists, neo-Nazis or the KKK who organized the "Unite the Right" rally.

SEE: CAIR Condemns Terror Attack on Va. Anti-Racist Rally, Decries Trump's 'Failure of Moral Leadership'
https://www.cair.com/cair_condemns_terror_attack_on_va_anti_racist_rally_decries_trump_s_failure_of_moral_leadership

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ayan Ajeen, 202-774-0770, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)



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