National Cathedral shames Trump for the second time in a year

Trump’s recent string of racist attacks on members of Congress led the National Cathedral to issue a Wednesday statement, calling his rhetoric “dangerous.”

“This week, President Trump crossed another threshold,” leaders of the Washington, D.C., church wrote in their statement, “Have We No Decency? A Response to President Trump.” “Not only did he insult a leader in the fight for racial justice and equality for all persons; not only did he savage the nations from which immigrants to this country have come; but now he has condemned the residents of an entire American city.”

The letter refers to Trump’s recent attacks on Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Baltimore, which is partially in Cummings’ district. Trump described Cummings’ district as a “disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess” and a “very dangerous & filthy place.”

Earlier in the month, Trump targeted Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), demanding the four women of color “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

The attacks were so vicious, racist, and over-the-top that the leaders of the National Cathedral compared Trump to Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who terrorized political enemies with false accusations of pro-communist sympathies.

Like Trump, McCarthy “stoked the fears of an anxious nation with lies; destroyed the careers of countless Americans; and bullied into submissive silence anyone who dared criticize him,” the statement says. The title of the statement references a question McCarthy was asked at a 1954 Senate hearing: “Have you no sense of decency?”

The statement goes on to issue a stark warning.

“These words are more than a ‘dog-whistle,'” it reads. “When such violent dehumanizing words come from the President of the United States, they are a clarion call, and give cover, to white supremacists who consider people of color a sub-human ‘infestation’ in America. They serve as a call to action from those people to keep America great by ridding it of such infestation.”

“Violent words lead to violent actions,” it adds.

Saying the time for silently standing by as Trump unleashes vile words is over, the statement was necessary to “boldly stand witness against the bigotry, hatred, intolerance, and xenophobia that is hurled at us, especially when it comes from the highest offices of this nation.”

This statement is not the first time the National Cathedral rebuked Trump, although it was the most forceful instance.

In March, Trump demanded praise for his supposed work in approving aspects of Sen. John McCain’s funeral, including services at the National Cathedral.

However, Trump didn’t deserve any praise.

A spokesperson for the National Cathedral told a reporter, “Sen. McCain’s funeral did not need presidential approval.”

First, they called out Trump’s lies, and now, the National Cathedral refuses to stand idly by and accept Trump’s “violent dehumanizing words.”

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.