13 August 2017

Hillary Clinton - If This Isn't America, 'Let's Prove It.'

As violence escalated at a white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on leaders to speak out, take action and prove that "this is not who we are as Americans."

White supremacists and armed militia faced off with counter-protesters on Saturday, attacking each other with flagpoles, bats and chemical sprays at the so-called "Unite the Right" rally.

Clinton said in a series of tweets that "incitement of hatred" was to blame for the chaos ― which turned deadly when a car plowed into a crowd of anti-racist protesters, killing a woman and injuring 19 people.

"The incitement of hatred that got us here is as real and condemnable as the white supremacists in our streets," Clinton wrote.

"Every minute we allow this to persist through tacit encouragement or inaction is a disgrace, & corrosive to our values," she added.

Without mentioning anyone specifically, Clinton called on "leaders" in the country to be "strong in their words" and "deliberate in their actions" while responding to Saturday's rally.

She also challenged people to take a stand against the rally and the hatred that fueled it.

"We will not step backward," Clinton tweeted. "If this is not who we are as Americans, let's prove it."

Clinton's message was notably more pointed than President Donald Trump's response to the violence, which didn't acknowledge white supremacy or racism at all. In statements and tweets, Trump condemned hate, bigotry and violence but said that it was coming from "many sides."

Carla Herreria, Huffington Post, August 12, 2017.

###

August 13, 2017

Addendum. Trump tweeted as well, first, a reminder of how important he is.

And then this.

The Washington Post reported further on the rally and Trump - "Dozens of the white nationalists in Charlottesville were wearing red Make America Great Again hats. Asked by a reporter in New Jersey whether he wanted the support of white nationalists, Trump did not respond."

Additional note, dozens of the white nationalists chanted, "Heil Trump" and marched with arms fully extended in full Nazi salute .

#NotMyPresident #NotManySides

Hillary Clinton - If This Isn't America, 'Let's Prove It.'

Other Articles

The fight for Democracy continues in Wisconsin. The elections are on February 21.

Video and transcript of the State of the Union, plus a summary by Heather Cox Richardson.

Ask yourself something: are you willing to pay higher taxes and have less affordable health care so you can “own the libs” because that’s the price you’ll have to pay if the GOP agenda is enacted … you pay more, their cronies pay less.

I’m excited to join @ProChoiceCaucus as Freshman Leader! With Roe protections gone and Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature passing one of the harshest abortion bans in the nation, my home state has been on the frontlines of the battle for reproductive freedom.