Congressman Cedric Richmond, a Democrat from Louisiana and Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, has just released a stunning open letter to Trump in which he blasts the current occupant of the White House for his handling of race relations in America. Rep. Richmond pulls no punches in the letter’s opening sentences:
President Trump:
I write today to express my utter disgust with your handling of race relations in America in general and, more specifically, your calculated, divisive response to nationwide demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice by professional football players, owners, coaches, and countless other patriots.
Rep. Richmond continues:
As President of the United States, your use of profane, sexually derogatory language in addressing American citizens, or anyone for that matter, is unbecoming of the office you now hold. Moreover, your complete lack of understanding of or empathy for the very painful history and substantive policy concerns that move people like Colin Kaepernick to take a stand, or a knee, in the first place is a reminder of all the African American community has to lose under your Administration.
He goes on in the letter to remind Trump that in his meeting with the CBC in March, they shared with him a 125-page policy book and a letter to AG Sessions that described their concerns with current policies that harm Black communities and outlined solutions. “Not only did you and Attorney General Sessions fail to respond to either document in any substantive way,” Rep. Richmond writes, “your actions continue to suggest that our pleas for responsible policy solutions were completely disregarded.” Even worse, he points out that not only has Trump “done nothing” to help Black communities” but has “taken affirmative actions” that have harmed Black communities.
In the letter’s last paragraph, Rep. Richmond goes for it:
Almost everything you have done and said on the topic of race or on issues that implicate race demonstrate a shocking lack of knowledge for an adult public official in the 21st century.
Bravo to Congressman Cedric Richmond for speaking the truth directly to Trump. Trump is leading an all-out assault on people of color in this country, and we need a lot more Democrats in Congress fighting back and speaking out like this. What’s going on is not normal and not acceptable.