(ATLANTA, GA – 5/29/17) The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations today released the following statement in response to a comment from President Trump’s official Twitter account labeling the Portland hate crime attack “unacceptable.”
“Although we welcome President Trump’s decision to finally comment on an Islamophobic hate crime, a belated tweet sent by his staff is not enough. He must take bold action. He must honor the heroes who died confronting anti-Muslim bigotry in Portland by confronting anti-Muslim bigotry across our nation.
As a start, President Trump should fire Steve Bannon, Sebastian Gorka and other anti-Muslim extremists working in the White House. He should withdraw the second Muslim Ban, which has tarnished our nation’s reputation for religious freedom. He should work to end racial and religious profiling, particularly in our airports. He should apologize for his own anti-Muslim remarks, including “Islam hates us.”
Finally, President Trump should stop pretending that Muslims only exist overseas, and only in the context of terrorism. He should acknowledge the American Muslims who have raised over $400,000 for families of the Portland victims. He should acknowledge the millions of American Muslims who support our nation, including doctors, athletes, law enforcement, politicians, entertainers, and, yes, soldiers.
Ricky John Best, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, and Micah David-Cole Fletcher showed immense bravery when they defended American Muslims from bigotry on that train in Portland.
If President Trump has even one iota of their courage, he will do the same in the White House.”
The tweet came after CAIR National criticized the President’s silence in the wake of a deadly stabbing in Portland, Oregon. When three bystanders tried to stop an anti-Muslim bigot from harassing a Muslim woman on a train, the man stabbed two of the good samaritans to death.