Tag: racism

The Choice Is Clear: Hillary’s Vision for An America That Is Hopeful and Inclusive

hillary-logo-jpg-crop-thumbnail-small

On Thursday in North Carolina, Hillary Clinton continued to make her closing argument for the presidency, outlining her record of championing the interests of people of color throughout her career–in contrast with Donald Trump’s history of racial discrimination and divisive rhetoric. Throughout her professional life and candidacy, Hillary has pledged to take on social injustice, including systemic racism and sexism. If elected president, Hillary has vowed to pass end-to-end criminal justice reform and implement common sense gun reform, priorities of great concern to communities of color.

Trump, on the other hand, has throughout his life and this campaign repeatedly instilled division and hate–from championing the racist birther movement and courting conspiracy theorists, to calling for a deportation force for immigrant families and banning Muslims.

Long before Trump ran for president, he was sued by the Department of Justice for racial discrimination at his family’s housing developments in Brooklyn and Queens–in addition to discrimination at properties in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Norfolk, Virginia. Federal investigators were told that Trump employees would mark applications of prospective renters with “C” for “colored” and refused to rent to African Americans. At her event in Winterville today, Mae Brown Wiggins, a registered nurse who was turned away from an apartment Trump managed because of her skin color, introduced Hillary, describing the impact Trump’s actions had on her life.

Years later, in the 1980’s, Trump took out full-page ads in four newspapers calling for the death penalty for a group of black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted of a crime, some as young as 14 years old. Just recently, Trump doubled down on his view that the five men, who were exonerated based on DNA evidence, are still guilty and should go to jail. Trump’s refusal to accept the evidence and admit he was wrong about the Central Park 5 is deeply disturbing, and continues to exacerbate deep and painful wounds borne by the men and their families.

The choice is clear. Americans deserve a president who believes Americans are stronger together, not one whose dark and divisive vision is fundamentally at odds with who we are as Americans.

As the presidential election draws to a close, here’s a recap of Trump’s pattern of discrimination and divisiveness:

A History of Housing Discrimination

  • Trump was twice sued by the Department of Justice for discrimination in housing.
  • Despite Trump’s claim that many companies were sued for discrimination when he was, the truth is that Fred and Donald Trump’s violation of the law was so egregious that the case made against them was “one of the strongest”
  • At the first presidential debate, Trump admitted he was sued for housing discrimination saying, “we settled… it was very easy.”
  • Trump’s real estate company had a disturbing practice of marking applications from black families with the letter “‘C’, for ‘Colored.”
  • A Trump building manager had the rental application of a black woman and was instructed to “‘Take the application and put it in a drawer and leave it there,’ Mr. Leibowitz, now 88, recalled in an interview.”
  • The N-word was used Trump offices and Donald was reportedly was in the room when it happened.
  • Black families made up a tiny percentage of renters in Trump-owned buildings.

Trump vs. Central Park 5

  • Trump paid for a racially provocative ad calling on New York lawmakers to reinstate the death penalty for five teenage Latino and African American men who were wrongfully accused of raping a woman.
  • Trump refused to acknowledge the innocence of The Central Park 5 even after their 2014 exoneration.

The Birtherism Conspiracy Theory

  • Trump led the birther movement in an attempt to delegitimize America’s first black president
  • Trump continued pushing his birtherism theory to delegitimize President Barack Obama every Trump’s conspiracy theory: President Obama is a Muslim and rendered ineligible for the presidency because he was born in Kenya.
  • When asked what he would say to people of color who were hurt by his remarks Trump repeatedly said, “I say nothing.”

Trump’s Hateful Rhetoric

  • Trump has failed to appropriately disavow racists and white supremacists like David Duke supporting his campaign.
  • Trump said African Americans have “nothing to lose” by voting for him because: “You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs.”
  • Trump continues to ignore history and disparage black Americans, saying the African American community is in the worst shape “ever, ever, ever” and African Americans in cities are “living in hell” and living in “war zones.”
  • Trump retweeted “racially loaded” and “wildly inaccurate” statistics claiming Blacks were responsible for 81 percent of White homicides.

Hateful Movements

  • Trump’s campaign shared an anti-Semitic image on his twitter that first appeared on white supremacist websites.
  • Trump has received an outpouring of support from hate movements like the alt-right.
  • White Supremacists used Trump’s candidacy as a recruiting tool.
  • White Supremacists and Klan members supported Trump, comparing his views to their views.
  • David Duke said Trump has “Made it OK to talk about these incredible concerns of European Americans today, because I think European Americans know they are the only group that can’t defend their own essential interests and their point of view.
  • “Virginia KKK Leader Endorses Trump: ‘What He Believes In, We Believe In.’”
  • Trump on being supported by White Supremacists: “A lot of people like me.”

More Discrimination in Trump Organization

  • Trump Plaza was fined $200,000 for shuffling Black and female dealers away from a high-rollers table to accommodate the preferences of patron and “reputed mob figure” Robert LiButti.
  • Trump Marina was fined for requesting non-Black driver.
  • When Trump came to his casino, Black people were allegedly ordered off the floor, according to a former employee in a report by The New Yorker.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Interviewed on The Breakfast Club

screen-shot-2016-10-27-at-6-22-08-pm

Hillary Clinton was interviewed by the morning radio show “The Breakfast Club.” During the interview, Clinton and hosts DJ Envy, Angela Yee & Charlamagne Tha God discussed a number of topics including Clinton’s thoughts on being parodied on Saturday Night Live, her support for the Chicago Cubs, and the presidential debates. The group also discussed a number of Clinton’s campaign points including her plan to combat systemic racism. She said, “It’s something that we have to be honest about. We have to face up to systemic racism. We see it in jobs, we see it in education, we see it in housing. But let’s be really clear; it’s a big part of what we’re facing in the criminal justice system. African American men get arrested, charged, convicted, and incarcerated far more often and for far longer for doing the same thing that white men do.” A video of the full interview is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: NBC News

Senator Sanders Campaigns in Michigan, Chelsea in Minnesota

6ca13500f93a323a

Senator Bernie Sanders campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton in Michigan today. His first event was held in Dearborn where he spoke to a crowd of supporters at the local UAW hall. During his speech, Sanders spoke about a number of Hillary’s platform points including her plan to create jobs and her support of labor unions. He also went after Donald Trump for avoiding to pay income taxes. Overall, however, Sanders offered a populist tone saying, “This campaign is not about Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton — it is about you and your families. We’re not voting for class president of our high school … we are fighting for the survival of the middle class.” A video from the event is below.

Sanders then traveled to Ann Arbor where he spoke to an enthusiastic crowd on the campus of the University of Michigan. During the event, Sanders spoke about the importance of voting, particularly young people, and urged them to get out and vote in November. He spoke about a number of Hillary’s platform points and specifically focused on her plans to reduce the cost of higher education. He said, “What she said is, I should tell the American people that in the first 100 days of her administration she will roll out a very specific plan to make public colleges and universities tuition free for all families earning less than $125,000 a year. And have an aggressive approach to reducing student debt.” Watch a video of Sanders’ speech below.

In Lansing, Sanders spoke to a crowd of students and supporters on the campus of Michigan State University. Sanders continued to speak about a number of Hillary’s platform points while going after Trump for his policies. Focusing on the economy and the struggle of the middle class, he said, “We have come a long way in fighting racism, sexism, homophobia. But today we have one huge struggle in front of us, and that is the economic struggle. And that means that we should not be living in a nation which has more wealth and income inequality than any other major country on earth.” A video of Sanders speech is below.

Sanders’ final event of the day was a rally in Grand Rapids. During the event, Sanders continued with his populist tone talking about the local economy and how a number Hillary’s proposals will be beneficial to the area. He spoke about raising the minimum wage and creating new good paying jobs in the area by reinvesting in manufacturing and clean energy. A video from the event will be posted when/if available.

Chelsea Clinton meanwhile was in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she spoke about Hillary’s plans to help mothers and families. During the event, Chelsea highlighted a number of Hillary’s platform points including her plans to cap the out of pocket costs of childcare, ensure that women are paid equally, raise the minimum wage, and create new jobs by investing in infrastructure and clean energy. Chelsea also spoke about the public perception of her mother saying, “I don’t understand the caricature of my mom. I wish more people could see the huggable, lovable, hilarious side of her that I see now when we are together, with my children, and that I have known my whole life.” Chelsea closed out the event by answering questions from those in attendance. A video from the event will be added when/if available.

In Los Angeles, California, a fundraiser was held on behalf of Hillary for America. The event featured a conversation with Senator Al Franken.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Michigan Live, Fox 2, Lansing State Journal, CBS Minnesota, 9 & 10 News

Clinton and Trump Clash at First Debate

Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton discuss a point during their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson - RTSPKQO
Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton discuss a point during their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S., September 26, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson – RTSPKQO

On Monday evening, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump faced off in a debate that kept fact checkers busy. The candidates debated several topics including national security, racism, and their plans to create new jobs. They did not waste enough time attacking each other with Trump going after Clinton’s stamina and Clinton criticizing Trump’s business failures and his attitude toward women. The moderator for the debate, NBC’s Lester Holt was largely absent from the event with the candidates answered his questions then going back-and-forth with each other. Watch a full replay of the debate below, and the next presidential debate is scheduled for October 9.

Hillary for America responded to last night’s debate with a new video and a links to a series of articles calling Clinton the winner of the debate. Watch the video below and click the links to read the articles.

Hillary for America arranged for a number of debate watch parties across the country. The watch parties and fundraising events were held in Orlando, Florida (with guest Tim Kaine); Brookline, Massachusetts (with guests Michelle Kwan and Kathleen Sebelius); New York City (with guest Uzo Aduba); New York City (Hillary for America sponsored); Chicago, Illinois (with Chicago LGBT for Hillary); Seattle, Washington; and Austin, Texas.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Vox, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fox News, NBC News, CBS News, The Atlantic, Time, Politico, Vanity Fair, Politifact

Hillary Clinton Statement on Actors’ Equity Association Endorsement

Hillary_for_America_2016_logo.svg

Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of the Actors’ Equity Association. In a statement, the group said this is the first time they have endorsed a presidential candidate, but they felt the need to speak out. Executive Director Mary McColl expressed the importance of unions and the reason for their endorsement of Clinton. “Our union has historically chosen to remain nonpartisan and above the fray. But at such a critical time in our country’s history, this union does not have that luxury if we hope to protect our members. We have to fight with everything we have for our survival.” Clinton responded to the endorsement with the following statement.

“I am honored to have earned the first-ever endorsement of the Actors’ Equity Association.

I have spent my life fighting to even the odds for those who have had the odds stacked against them. That means making it possible for every child to live up to his or her God-given potential, no matter where they come from, what they look like, or who they love. And, although this is an unusual thing for a candidate for President to say, it means working to create more love and kindness in our country. 

The Actors’ Equity Association shares these core values. And I couldn’t be prouder to have them standing with me in this election. The stakes could not be higher.

From the beginning, Donald Trump has based his campaign on prejudice and paranoia. He has insulted immigrants and demeaned women. He has called for banning 1.5 million people from so much as entering this country because of their religion. He mocked and mimicked a reporter with a disability. He would appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn marriage equality, and when the time came to choose a running-mate, he selected a man who signed a law that would have allowed Indiana businesses to discriminate against LGBT people.

Donald Trump does not understand a basic truth about America: we are stronger together.

Americans don’t tear each other down—we lift each other up. We don’t build walls—we break down barriers. Together, we’ll fight to finally guarantee equal pay for women, protect workers’ rights to organize and bargain collectively, and build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. We’ll pass the Equality Act and make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT people in employment and housing—and we won’t let up in the fight against HIV and AIDS until we reach the goal of an AIDS-free generation, which is finally in sight. We will face up to the reality of systemic racism and fix it—and we’ll fight back against those who are trying to deny Americans their fundamental right to vote. And above all, we will never forget that we are in this together, one nation, indivisible.

The future we want is within our reach—let’s build it together.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Actors’ Equity Association

 

HFA Responds to Trump’s Outreach to the African American Community

Hillary_for_America_2016_logo.svg

Following Donald Trump’s attempt to reach out to the African American community, Hillary for America’s Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement Marlon Marshall responded to his lack of African American community events with the following statement.

“Donald Trump’s latest gimmick to act as if he cares about the black community is downright shameful, insulting and cowardly.  After 14 months of neglecting us, Donald Trump is once again dodging substantive conversations and ducking questions about the issues that impact our community. Not surprisingly, Trump’s ignorance on issues like the economy, criminal justice reform, the meaning of quality health care or systemic racism, has forced him to resort to scripted conversations and staged engagements with our communities. The problem is, our community can see through this: outreach to African Americans cannot be scripted; leaders ought to be prepared to address the hard truths about race and justice in our country. And Trump’s discomfort on addressing these issues only reinforces that he’s unfit to be our president.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Hillary Clinton Statement on The March on Washington Anniversary

Hillary_for_America_2016_logo.svg

Hillary Clinton released the following statement in honor of the 53rd anniversary of the March on Washington. The march was held August 28, 1963.

“Tomorrow, we mark the date on which hundreds of thousands of Americans marched on Washington on behalf of human rights.  Standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uttered words now etched forever in our nation’s history:

‘I have a dream, that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

His call to action sparked the momentum needed to pass the Voting Rights Act –  knocking down legal barriers that had stood for generations, and ensuring every American could exercise their constitutional right to vote.

In 2016, we’ve come a long way since the days of Jim Crow.  Yet too many Americans still face systemic racism and constant assaults on their franchise.  Something is profoundly wrong when decades after Dr. King addressed the nation, so many Americans still feel that their country values them less, simply because of the color of their skin.

That’s just one reason why the stakes in this election are unlike any we have faced before.  Those brave men and women who marched, and sat, and bled for civil rights in America must not have done so in vain.

As President, I’ll stand up to bluster and bigotry, and fight back against efforts to restrict access to the ballot.  Let’s make it easier for people to vote, not harder.  Let’s make sure every state has at least 20 days of in-person voting, and no one ever has to wait more than 30 minutes to cast their ballot.  And let’s automatically register every American to vote on their 18th birthday.

The power of American democracy comes from the fact that no one is left behind – no matter where they come from, what they look like, or who they love.  That’s what I mean when I say that we’re stronger together.

So today, let’s continue to be inspired by the self-evident truths that first united our nation, and live up to what a young minister dreamed and declared fifty-three years ago.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

Clinton Campaign Releases Details of Proposed Democratic Party Platform

U.S._Democratic_Party_logo_(transparent).svg

On Saturday, Hillary For America Senior Advisor Maya Harris released a statement following a Democratic Platform Drafting Committee meeting in St. Louis, Missouri. The meeting was one of four held around the country allowing national and local Democrats to gather and discuss the party’s platform. While the official platform will not be adopted until the Democratic National Convention next month, several proposed platform points are discussed in Harris’ statement including a $15 minimum wage, updates to the country’s prison system, a commitment to clean energy and fighting climate change, and ensuring everyone pays their fair share of taxes. Videos from the drafting committee hearings are available on the Democratic National Convention’s YouTube Channel and, the full statement from Harris is below:

“We are proud that the draft 2016 Democratic Platform, which the drafting committee approved yesterday, represents the most ambitious and progressive platform our party has ever seen, and reflects the issues Hillary Clinton has championed throughout this campaign, from raising wages and creating more good-paying jobs to fixing our broken immigration system, reforming our criminal justice system, and protecting women’s reproductive health and rights. As our Chairman, Congressman Elijah Cummings, directed us at the outset, our platform does not merely reflect common ground—it seeks higher ground.

For the first time ever, our platform calls for ending mass incarceration, shutting down the school-to-prison pipeline, and taking on the challenges of systemic racism. This year’s platform contains the most ambitious jobs plan on record, including historic investments in infrastructure, pledges to increase American manufacturing and stop companies from shipping jobs overseas, and a robust, stand-alone plank on youth jobs. It contains ambitious, progressive principles on wages, stating that working people should earn at least $15 an hour, citing New York’s minimum wage law and calling for raising and indexing the federal minimum wage. It also calls for the elimination of the ‘tipped’ wage and for the right of workers to form or join a union.  And for the first time, the Democratic Party platform explicitly calls for repealing the Hyde Amendment, which restricts access to women’s reproductive rights, particularly low-income women and women of color.

Four years ago, the Democratic platform called for an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy. This platform moves far beyond that framework, with a robust commitment to combating climate change and ambitious goals, like generating 50 percent of our electricity from clean sources within a decade. This vision was further strengthened through an amendment offered by representatives of both campaigns to see America running entirely on clean energy by mid-century.

We are also pleased that there were many issues where committee members worked collaboratively to articulate a bold vision, including making sure Wall Street greed and recklessness never again threatens American families and businesses on Main Street; proposing a surtax on multi-millionaires to ensure the richest among us are paying their fair share to build an economy that works for everyone; and expanding Social Security benefits by raising more revenue above the $250,000 threshold.

Members also worked together on framing Democrats’ shared commitment to comprehensive immigration reform, with an eloquent unity amendment stating, ‘Immigration is not a problem to be solved, it is a defining aspect of the American character and history to be supported and defended against those who would exclude or eliminate legal immigration avenues and denigrate immigrants.’

And we are proud the draft 2016 Democratic platform sets forward progressive principles and high standards on trade, including calling for trade agreements to be more protective of workers’ rights, labor rights, the environment, and public health. The draft reviewed by committee members yesterday included a call to review past trade agreements and update them to reflect these principles. An amendment adopted yesterday further emphasized the fact that many Democrats oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership because ‘the agreement does not meet the standards set out in this platform.’ Hillary Clinton is one of those Democrats, and has been strongly and unequivocally on the record opposing TPP. Just this week, she said, ‘We will defend American jobs and American workers by saying ‘no’ to bad trade deals and unfair trade practices, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership.’

Make no mistake about it: The 2016 Democratic platform represents an ambitious, progressive agenda that all Democrats can and should be proud of.”

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Hillary Clinton Statement on NRDC Endorsement

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters at the Electric Park Ballroom in Waterloo, Iowa January 11, 2016. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein - RTX21X9X
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters at the Electric Park Ballroom in Waterloo, Iowa January 11, 2016. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein – RTX21X9X

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton received the endorsement of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). This the first time the group has ever endorsed a presidential candidate. In a statement, Rhea Suh, president of the NRDC Action Fund, said “Hillary Clinton is an environmental champion with the passion, experience and savvy to build on President Obama’s environmental legacy. More than any other candidate running, Hillary Clinton understands the environmental challenges America faces, and her approach to solving them is grounded in the possibility and promise our democracy affords us.”

Clinton released a statement in which she spoke about the importance of protecting the environment, and she pledged to fight alongside groups, such as the NRDC, who are fighting to protect the environment and fight climate change. Her full statement is below:

“I am honored to have earned the first-ever presidential endorsement of the NRDC Action Fund.

Climate change is real, it is being driven by human activity, and it is happening right now. We can’t wait for climate deniers and defeatists to get on board–we need to take immediate action to build on the progress President Obama has made in fighting this unprecedented global threat. We need to use every tool we have to make America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century and to make sure no one is left out or left behind in the clean energy economy, from communities struggling with the legacy of environmental racism to the coalfield communities that kept America’s lights on for generations.

That’s why I have a comprehensive plan to combat climate change with bold, national goals to expand clean energy, boost energy efficiency, and slash oil consumption. I will fight alongside the NRDC Action Fund for environmental and climate justice and invest in building a bright future for coalfield communities. And together, we can get half of our electricity from clean sources within 10 years, create millions of good-paying jobs, protect our communities from the dangerous climate impacts that we’re already seeing, and ensure America is leading the world in the fight against climate change.

The stakes for our children’s health and the future of our planet have never been higher. The presumptive Republican nominee has called climate change a Chinese hoax and called for scrapping the landmark Paris climate agreement. He has pledged to open up millions of acres of pristine public lands and waters to fossil fuel production at a time when America’s public lands are under unprecedented pressures. We need to be accelerating the transition to a clean energy future, not letting a climate denier doom our children to a future beyond their capacity to repair.

It has never been more critical that we come together to face the shared challenge of climate change–because there is no Planet B.”

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: The Washington Post

Hillary Clinton Interviewed by Newsday

image

On Monday, Hillary Clinton sat down with the editorial board of the New York publication Newsday. During the interview, Clinton was asked about a variety of topics including jobs and the economy, FEMA, systemic racism, education, and the possibility of having the first female president. Clinton goes into detail of a number of her proposals and it is a great follow-up to her interview with the New York Daily News last week. A full transcript from the interview can be read HERE.

For all the latest, follow our revamped Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

News Source: Newsday