Obama shares op-ed signed by 149 black members of his administration accusing Trump of racism and 'poisoning' democracy
Former President Barack Obama, on Saturday, July 27, tweeted a link to an op-ed, written by 148 African Americans who served in his administration, denouncing President Donald Trump as wielding 'racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia.'
The op-ed titled 'We are African Americans, we are patriots, and we refuse to sit idly by,' proclaimed that they won't sit idle during the "poisoning of our democracy." Obama, who shared the article, appeared to be in agreement with its message.
The op-ed, published by The Washington Post on Friday, was written in response to Trump's racist tweet about four progressive congresswomen of color as the president said that they should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came." Many followers of the president have likened his tweet to the racist trope, "go back where you came from."
Trump's tweet referred to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who all are Americans.
"So interesting to see "Progressive" Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly...," Trump tweeted. "....and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!"
The op-ed also comes amid Trump calling Baltimore, a city heavily populated with African-Americans, "disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess."
Obama, on Saturday, along with sharing the link, said that he had always been proud of his administration's accomplishments, and was proud that the team continued to fight for a better America.
"I’ve always been proud of what this team accomplished during my administration. But more than what we did, I’m proud of how they’re continuing to fight for an America that’s better," Obama tweeted.
The op-ed stated: "We stand with congresswomen Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, as well as all those currently under attack by President Trump, along with his supporters and his enablers, who feel deputized to decide who belongs here — and who does not."
"There is truly nothing more un-American than calling on fellow citizens to leave our country — by citing their immigrant roots, or ancestry, or their unwillingness to sit in quiet obedience while democracy is being undermined," the op-ed stated, adding that telling someone to "go back where you came from" has long been a phrase evoked by racists throughout the history of America.
"We’ve heard this before. Go back where you came from. Go back to Africa. And now, "send her back." Black and brown people in America don’t hear these chants in a vacuum; for many of us, we’ve felt their full force being shouted in our faces, whispered behind our backs, scrawled across lockers, or hurled at us online. They are part of a pattern in our country designed to denigrate us as well as keep us separate and afraid," the article read.
"As 149 African Americans who served in the last administration, we witnessed firsthand the relentless attacks on the legitimacy of President Barack Obama and his family from our front-row seats to America’s first black presidency. Witnessing racism surge in our country, both during and after Obama’s service and ours, has been a shattering reality, to say the least. But it has also provided jet-fuel for our activism, especially in moments such as these."