Daily Archives: August 14, 2017

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Monday, August 14, 2017, 10:34 AM

As violent, cruel, demeaning white supremacists descended upon Charlottesville, Va., this weekend, and one of the men murdered a woman and injured dozens of others in broad daylight, Donald Trump, the sitting President of the United States, who rose to power with their full support, refused to call them out. Of course he refused. They are his most devoted followers and he has taken great care not to offend or isolate them. Many Republicans, though, did call them out. Senators Orrin Hatch, Marco Rubio and even Ted Cruz made some of the strongest statements from conservatives I've ever read on white supremacy, but one consistent and critically important error was present in so many statements from seemingly well-meaning white men. Those statements, over and over again, said something to the effect that white supremacy has no place in America and that this nation was founded on the principles of faith and freedom.

51 photos view gallery

That's a damn lie. It's as big a lie as a lie can get. It's ahistorical. It's insulting. It's not even in the ballpark of reality. And when civic and business leaders say that this nation was founded on such warm, fuzzy ideals and principles, it reveals many things chief among them just how far we are from actually dismantling the systems of white supremacy and white privilege in this nation.

Before I was a journalist, I was a preacher in Georgia and Kentucky. From the pulpit I liked to use colorful metaphors to explain complex scriptures so that they made more sense for everyday people. If you don't mind, I'd like to lean on that part of my history for a few moments.

Imagine you're in your house and you smell a foul stench. You check your refrigerator and realize that you have some spoiled food in there. That must be it! You get ready to throw it away, open up the garbage can, then realize that something foul seems to be coming from there too. So you bag up the foul garbage with the spoiled food and take it out of the house confident that you have solved the problem only to come back inside to find it smelling worse than ever. You check the bathroom and flush the toilets in case that might be it. No matter what you do, the smell won't go away. It's getting so bad that you can hardly stand it. You are now feeling light-headed. Then, you notice on the television that people are evacuating their homes on a street that looks very, very familiar. It's your street. On the television, you see a home that looks like your home and a car that looks like your car. On the television screen, smoke is enveloping the home and car that look like they are yours.

Charlottesville mayor says Trump campaign emboldened hate groups

The news caption reads, "Neighborhood built on toxic waste dump about to explode."

The smell that you thought was leftovers in the fridge or fish in the garbage or a turd in the toilet was none of those things. Your home is built on a ticking time bomb of toxic waste.

Ted Cruz and Orrin Hatch and Marco Rubio each spoke of white supremacy and neo-Nazism as if it could be easily flushed down the toilet with a tweet, wink and a nod. This is as dangerous a denial of the past, present and future of this country as we could ever have.

America was not built on kindness or the Christianity of Christ. It was not built on freedom or liberty. This nation was built on white supremacy. Its founders owned human beings that they worked to death and raped at will for sexual pleasure. The indigenous people were slaughtered and terrorized for land and profit. Not for years, or decades, but for centuries, this nation exploited and victimized every single person who was not a white man denying them all the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness denying them all the right to vote, the right to safety, the right to dignity.

Jason Kessler shouted down at Charlottesville news conference

We have women in this nation who were born before women were allowed to vote. A black woman who voted in this past presidential election was the daughter of slaves! Donald Trump's own father was reportedly arrested at a KKK rally 90 years ago this summer (something Donald Trump has refuted). Right here in New York City Nazis held a rally in Madison Square Garden.

So don't tell me this nation was founded on faith and freedom. It was founded on oppression and violence. What we're seeing in Charlottesville isn't un-American. NO! That violence and bigotry are as American as it gets.

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KING: Stop saying this nation was founded on faith and freedom it was founded on violence and white supremacy - New York Daily News

by: KIRO 7 News Staff Updated: Aug 14, 2017 - 7:44 AM

SEATTLE - Seattle police say they arrested three men as hundreds of demonstrators and counter-protesters converged downtown Seattle one day after violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The rally organized by the conservative pro-Trump group known as Patriot Prayer and a counter protest aimed at standing against hate were planned for Sunday.

A barricade separated the groups of protesters in downtown Seattle. Police officers stood by dressed in black, riot gear. Police said they used pepper spray and blast balls to disperse crowds after fireworks were thrown at officers.

Those arrested were a 40-year-old man for obstruction, a 37-year-old man for assault and a 25-year old-man for assault.

It all began peacefully enough as hundreds of activists stepped off from Denny Park just before 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Counter protesters included members of the Veterans for Peace, Socialist Party, Washington Federation of State Workers and other groups.

Counter-protesters marched from Denny Park through downtown Seattle to Westlake Park, but many of those protesters were prevented from reaching the freedom rally.

But some counter-protesters did make it.

During the rally, some of the demonstrators began trying to run past Seattle police. When that didn't work, they tried taunting the officers with silly string. As the crowd surged toward police, they were doused with pepper spray.

Council member Mike O'Brien expressed frustration over the crowd being kept away from Westlake Park.

"Why weren't the demonstrators not allowed to get to Westlake Park?" O'Brien said. "I don't know what the call was. I'm not in a position to second guess that at the moment." He added he would like to find out why police prohibited the crowd from reaching Westlake Park.

Many marchers said they were there to simply take a stand, especially after what happened in Charlottesville.

"They are missing out on the love that exists here on the other side," said Rev. Priscilla Paris Austin, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in South Lake Union. "If they can push themselves through to see past their fear, they can find the love that exists here for them as well."

The pro-Trump group "Patriot Prayer" gathered for a rally in Westlake Park that it billed as in support of freedom and free speech.

On its Facebook page, the Patriot Prayer groups posted:

Seattle is running our state with a pedophile as a mayor. The West Coast has slowly been infected with communist ideologies throughout our entire culture. It is a belief that the individual is weak and that we are all victims. This is the lie of the century. No matter who you are, we are all amazing people with the ability to do anything that we put our minds to. These liberal strongholds run off of hatred and negativity. Patriot Prayer will bring in a positive message to Seattle that the people are starving for..

Patriot Prayers first speaker stated a message from the organizers; that the incident in Charlottesville was an act of terrorism and should be denounced, and that white supremacists were not welcome at their event. He called for peace and love and said anyone who attended for racist reasons should leave. He then said that Seattle and Americas values are inclusive values. His message was met by boos by some in the crowd.

The latest on the "Freedom Rally" put on by 'The Patriot Prayer', a conservative group, and the "Solidarity Against Hate" counter-protest in Seattle. All times local.

Click here to see photos of today's rally and counter-protest.

[4:57]

[4:45]

Seattle Police have made an arrest at 5th and Pine.

[3:54]

An update from the Seattle Police Department:

[3:47]

Demonstrators are marching back to Denny Park, according to the Seattle Police Department.

[3:03]

The Seattle Police Department has issued a Dispersal Order at 2nd and Pine. Police also have confiscated weapons, and have made arrests. The number of arrests is unknown at this point.

[2:00]

The "Solidarity against hate grouphas marched from Denny Park to Westlake Park where the conservative "Freedom Rally" group is located.

[1:00]

One of two groups that planned to march in downtown Seattle Sunday has said the group will not march, but gather in light of the violence that erupted at a Charlottesville, Va., rally Saturday.

The Patriot Prayer, a conservative, pro-Trump group, will gather at 2 p.m. at Westlake Park.

Opponents, which include members of the Veterans for Peace, Socialist Party, Washington Federation of State Workers and other groups, had planned to march after the Patriot Prayer group originally announced it would march in Seattle on August 13. They will gather at Denny Park at 1 p.m.

The Patriot Prayer group had touted the event as a Freedom Rally; opponents of their messaging say the group is homophobic, racist and bigoted.

The group has been criticized for inciting violence at recent gatherings in Portland and Vancouver, B.C.The Columbian newspaper recently did a profile on the group's lead, Joey Gibson.

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3 arrested after 'Freedom Rally,' counter protesters converge in Seattle - KIRO Seattle

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has been nominated to head the Office of International Religious Freedom under the State Department. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback talks to the media during a news conference Thursday, July 27, 2017, in Topeka, Kan. President Donald Trump nominated Brownback to be ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.(Photo: Charlie Riedel, AP)

WASHINGTON For advocates of religious freedom, President Trumps appointment of Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback to be Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom is a much-needed jolt from an administration that they feel has been otherwise sluggish to act on critical protections for people of faith.

If confirmed, Brownback will be be the U.S. governments representative on religious freedom abroad. He also has the task of advocating within the State Department for a greater focus on the issue, even at times when it may not run in lockstep with economic or military interests.

You need somebody who feels it in his bones and David Saperstein really did feel it in his bones and so does Sam Brownback, this is why Im grateful to president Trump, of whom Ive been a ferocious critic, Robert George said. Rabbi David Saperstein held the ambassador-at-large position most recently during the Obama administration.

On the campaign trail Trump had promised that the first priority of my administration will be to preserve and protect our religious liberty.Trump was able to get conservative Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch confirmed to the bench, a move which religious freedom advocates celebrated.

Early in his presidency Trump was reportedly considering an executive order that would scale back Obama-era protections for gays and lesbians, andreligious freedom advocates pressed him to move forward. But Trump ultimately signed a version that critics including George felt didnt go nearly far enough.

It was so watered down in the end that when it was issued it had no practical significance that I could see, said George, who was chairman of the independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in 2015 and 2016.I do not give the Trump administration high marks at all, so far, on religious freedom issues domestically ... Internationally I think it is too early to tell, but Im hoping.

We think that President Trump made a great choice in picking Brownback, said Emilie Kao,director of the Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Religion & Civil Society at the conservative Heritage Foundation. I think its a very positive step on international religious freedom. I think that theres still much more that the Trump Administration could still do on domestic religious freedom.

I think hes almost made for the job and the job was made for him and he cares deeply so I think its a perfect appointment, former Virginia congressman Frank Wolf told USA TODAY.

Wolf introduced the law the International Religious Freedom Act which created the ambassador-at -large position. Brownback,who was a senator 1998 when the legislation passed, was a key player moving the legislation through the Senate.

Wolf, a who left Congress in 2014 after more than three decades,said the administration is going to do well on religious freedom and the reason we havent seen as muchis because theres no one at home,referring to the fact that the administration is not yet filled critical positions throughout the government.

Former Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., is pictured Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, April 12, 2013. Wolf introduced legislation that created the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.(Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP)

Certain aspects of religious freedom domestically can be a bitterly partisan, such as battles over whether faith groups can be ordered to provide birth control in employee health insurance plans.But internationally, religious freedomis an overwhelmingly bipartisan issue.

The law that created the ambassador-at-large position, passed in the House by 375-41 and 98-0 in the Senate in 1998. An amendment to the bill in 2016 that strengthened the powers of the office passed by a voice vote in the House and unanimous consent in the Senate.

Saperstein, who was nominated to be ambassador-at-large by then-president Barack Obama, told USA TODAY that the basic areas of religious freedom rights freedom to worship, educate, speak about faith, etc. have broad bipartisan support domestically. The former ambassador-at-large said the friction comes with competing claims, moral claims, between religious liberty rights and other civil rights womens rights and LGBT rights, in particular so there are tensions in these claims. Do people have a religious freedom right to discriminate against other people?

He also cited friction over if corporations have religious freedom rights or if tax-exempt religious institutions can take a political stance, as dividing issues in the U.S.

Saperstein said there are important claims on both sides of these issues but they pale in comparison to the persecution happening abroad. More than three-quarters of the worlds population live in countries where restrictions on religion are either high or very high, according to Pew Research Center.

I pray for the day that the struggles for the religious freedom on a global level will be about whether corporations have religious freedom claims, whether clergy can use tax deductible money to endorse candidates how to best balance out competing claims between religious liberty claims and womens rights and LGBT rights claims, Saperstein said. He said that people around the world are subject to torture, prison and even death for their beliefs.

Saperstein pointed to Brownbacks long track-record of support for religious freedom issues when USA TODAY asked if the Kansas governor was the right pick to take over his job.

Its an issue he knows, he knows well and cares deeply about, Saperstein said.

More: Vice President Pence says ISIS is waging anti-Christian 'genocide'

Religious conservatives mixed on Trump's order targeting birth control, church involvement

'We are under siege,' Trump tells religious right group as Comey testifies

Andrew Bennett, the Canadian ambassador for religious freedom from2013 to2016, warned that Brownback may find himself arguing with othergovernment agencies over foreign policy.

At times, you know, Gov. Brownback and his office are going to find themselves working against other particular priorities that the United States might have in its foreign policy and so the challenge for Gov. Brownback is going to be to stand up in defense of religious freedom and to speak out, Bennett told USA TODAY.

Despite the bipartisan support for the position, some worry Brownback who has been opposed to strengthening protections for the LGBTcommunity could take the post in the wrong direction.

The position is obviously one that deals with religious discrimination and protecting people from religious persecution around the world which is something that, you know, LGBTQ people share in common. In lots of places where theres reallya lot of persecution that takes the form of religious discrimination, it also takes the form of anti-LGBT discrimination, said David Stacy, the government affairs director for the LGBT advocacy organization Human Rights Campaign.

Brownback has opposed gay marriage and as governor signed a law that allowed university groups to restrict membership, critics said that could lead to discrimination.

With Sam Brownback were certainly very worried that he will promote a particular brand of religion," Stacy said."Religion does not need to be in conflict with LGBT equality, but if you put someone like Sam Brownback in this position,he does view it that way: that its a zero-sum game

Some in Kansas may be happy to see Brownback go, after he ordered sweepingtax cuts that hampered the state's economy and narrowly won re-election in 2016.

Sam Brownback will be remembered for becoming the most unpopular governor in America. His tax experiment failed to grow the economy as he had promised, Kansas State Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley tweeted after Brownback was nominated.

More: Kansas governor faces tax cut challenge

Republicans in Congress push for religious liberty executive order

Republicans ask Jeff Sessions to reaffirm no religious tests for government posts

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Religious freedom: Trump taps Brownback, advocates applaud - USA TODAY