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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2016)
Page 6 November 23, 2016 Your Carpet Best Cleaning Choice O PINION Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs: $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) : $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $109 - $139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 Do not be Complacent in the Face of Hate The hurtful acts emboldened by an election M arc h. M orial The day after Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States of America, a group of middle school students in Royal Oak, Mich., chanted, “Build the wall” in their school cafeteria during lunchtime — a core Trump campaign slogan and promise to secure our nation’s border with Mexico. On Nov. 9, Minnesota high school officials discovered rac- ist graffiti and Trump rhetoric scrawled in a boy’s bathroom. The graffiti included #Gobacktoafri- ca, #Whitesonly and the Trump campaign’s rallying cry to “Make America Great Again.” Only a day after Trump became our country’s President-elect, a woman in New York City, who was wearing a hijab, was told by a man on the subway, “Your time is up, girlie.” The president-elect’s campaign was no stranger to stir- ring anti-Muslim sentiment. As by a candidate, Trump repeatedly called for a complete ban on Mus- lims entering the United States. When confronted with reports of these hate crimes and harass- ment during an interview on “60 Minutes,” Trump said, “I am so saddened to hear that,” adding, ‘’And I say, stop it. If it, if it helps, I will say this and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it.” If only it were that easy, Pres- ident-elect Trump. What candidate Trump will- fully disregarded, and would not denounce, during his quest for the White House, President Trump will soon have to grapple with in our freshly divided nation: You cannot court those mired in racist, misogynist or homophobic ideol- ogy—tacitly endorse and legiti- mize hate—then expect to put the deplorables back in the basket. Since Election Day, there has been a disheartening spike in hate crimes and harassment. The surge in hate crimes is even more hor- rifying when you recognize that these acts of violence and hate are being done in the name of the President-elect, and by individu- als invoking his campaign’s divi- sive rhetoric. According to the Southern Pov- erty Law Center, which has been keeping a running tally of these crimes through “Hatewatch,” there have been more than 400 incidents of hate, harassment and intimidation following the elec- tion. The reports were collected from social media, news reports and from direct submissions to the SPLC’s #ReportHate page. We must report these crimes and hateful incidents. Help the Southern Poverty Law Center monitor these incidents to create the database and evidence that bears out our worst fear: That while America might feel great again for some, it has become ap- pallingly unsafe for others. Be sure to report hate crimes to your local authorities first. You can also file complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division online or contact the agency at 202-514-4609. The post-Election Day uptick in hate crimes has pushed some states to take matters into their own hands. In New York, the city’s district at- torneys released a joint statement indicating that bias crimes have become more commonplace since Election Day, and in response, the state has launched a hotline to re- port potential hate crimes with the Division of Human Rights. But in the midst of our division, our nation always gives me reason to hope. Recently, a Baylor Univer- sity sophomore was walking to her class when she says another student, “sort of shoved me off the sidewalk and he said…no n-----s allowed on the sidewalk. Another student saw the incident and confronted the at- tacker, who responded that he was “just trying to make America great again.” Two days later, 300 school- mates, teachers and school admin- istrators walked that sophomore to class to keep her safe. As our nation awaits the transi- tion to a Trump administration, we must not become complacent in the face of hate. We must report it, remain vigilant, and like the peo- ple at Baylor University, become our brother’s keeper. If Trump is going to be the president for all Americans he promised to be in his acceptance speech, he must do more than ask those emboldened by his rhetoric to stop acting on his words—he needs to unequivocally denounce these crimes and acts of hate. Marc H. Morial is president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.
