Portland observer., November 16, 2016, Page Page 3, Image 3

November 16, 2016
The
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INSIDE
Week in Review
O PINION
This page
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Going After Trump
Merkley
blasts plans to
hire purveyor
of hate
M ETRO
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Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
has joined civil rights advocates
to denounce Donald Trump’s an-
nounced plan to hire Steve Bannon
as his chief strategist in the White
House, calling him a purveyor of
hate on radio and television.
“There should be no sugarcoat-
ing the truth here: Donald trump
just invited a white nationalist into
the highest reaches of the govern-
ment,” Merkley said.
Brannon has boasted that he
made Breitbart News ‘the plat-
form of the alt-right,’ a political
Jeff Merkley
term used for the resurrection of
white nationalism.
In a statement issued Sunday,
the Council on American-Islamic
Relations also slammed the ap-
pointment saying Bannon helped
promote a “dark and paranoid
picture” of Muslim Americans
through the Breitbart News web-
site and Bannon’s own radio show.
The appointment sends the dis-
turbing message that anti-Muslim
conspiracy theories and white na-
tionalist ideology will be welcome
in the White House, said Nihad
Awad, the council’s national ex-
ecutive director. “We urge Pres-
ident-elect Trump to reconsider
this ill-advised appointment if he
truly seeks to unite Americans.”
The Anti-Defamation League
echoed the condemnation, saying
it was a sad day when a man who
presided over the website “alt-
right” is slated to be a senior staff
member of the people’s house.
Richard Cohen, president of
the Southern Poverty Law Center,
a nonprofit that tracks extremist
groups, said that when news of
Bannon’s appointment hit white
supremacist websites, forums
erupted in celebration.
Faith Leaders Respond to Election
Arts &
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ENTERTAINMENT
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C ALENDAR
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Faith leaders from throughout the Portland
area, including Muslim, Jewish, Christian,
Sikh, Buddhist and First Nations representa-
tives, gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square
last Thursday with a public call for inclusion in
reaction to the election of Donald Trump.
“Our action today is a call to continue the
work for creating the Beloved Community.
We stand with Muslims, with immigrants, with
women who have been sexually assaulted, with
people with disabilities, with the poor, and with
the LGBTQ community”, said the Rev. Tara
Wilkins, executive director of the Communi-
ty of Welcoming Congregations and pastor of
Bridgeport United Church of Christ.
Pastor Matt Hennessee of Vancouver Ave-
nue First Baptist Church, said it was his hope
and prayer that “We will stand against the legit-
imization and normalization of bullying, name
calling, threats of deportation, building walls,
and ‘privileged’ behavior that is celebrated and
without consequence.
Rabbi Ariel Stone, chair of the Oregon Board
of Rabbis and Rabbi to the Congregation Shir
Tikvah, said it was important “To seize the
high ground to demand from ourselves and
all others the ongoing awareness and action
to demonstrate that kindness is our only hope,
truth our rallying flag, and that we will never
stop affirming that love trumps hate.”
The Rev. Michael Ellick, Senior Minister of
First Congregational United Church of Christ,
said “For just about anybody who isn’t white,
for anybody who isn’t in the top 1 percent, and
- you know - for all women everywhere - there
is a lot of fear right now. So, it’s more import-
ant than ever for the spiritual and moral adults
Matt Hennessee
on this planet to show up, speak clearly, and get
organized.”
The executive director of Ecumenical Min-
istries of Oregon, Jan Elfers concludes, “At all
times, but particularly in this current climate of
uncertainty and fear, our response must be to
continue to work to build the beloved commu-
nity; to hold on to the values of love, justice
and the inclusion of all people. We put those
values into practice as we pray and act together
for this vision. We must not lose hope; we will
not give up. Our vision is not fragile; love will
have the last word.”