AUDIO RECORDING OF CALL AVAILABLE HERE
Leaders in the Latino and Progressive Community Say NBC is Mainstreaming Trump’s Extreme Anti-Immigrant Agenda As New Open Letter Calls on SNL Cast to Speak Out Against Hate
On a press call this afternoon, leaders with the #RacismIsntFunny campaign discussed how disturbing incidents of violence and aggression toward immigrants and Latinos follow Trump where ever he goes and called out NBC for using racism to boost their ratings.
During his presidential campaign, Trump’s racist comments along with his immigration policy to round up and deport 11 million people have inspired violence and agression toward immigrants and Latinos among his supporters. For example, a recent Business Insider video shows Ronald Sanchez, who was spit on at a Richmond, VA Trump rally, talking about the fear he felt in the midst of an angry crowd of Trump fans. On the call, Maria Alcivar, a student leader at Iowa State University, described being harassed during a protest on campus. Alcivar referenced a recent video of a fellow protester’s sign being ripped in half and explained that it was just a small example of the hate, physical aggression, and racism she experienced by Donald Trump’s supporters.
Visit AmericasVoice.org/TrumpHateMap to see several more incidences of violence toward immigrants and Latinos.
#RacismIsntFunny organizers believe that Trump hosting SNL will inspire more violence so some of the organizations on the call also announced the release of an open letter to the cast of Saturday Night Live, calling on the cast to speak out against Trump’s anti-immigrant and anti-Latino rhetoric.
The following are statements from leaders with the #RacismIsntFunny campaign:
Marlena Fitzpatrick of Latino Rebels said: “Trump is not competing in a comedy-reality TV show. He is running for President of the United States, and he is asking America to vote based on this racist, bigoted, sexist narrative…Having him host Saturday Night Live condones his narrative…We need to take action. It is not just turning off the TV, it is going out to vote.”
Justin Krebs of MoveOn said: “Trump does not deserve an additional ninety minute campaign ad…NBC and SNL can still make this right; they can still dump Donald Trump…We will not stop fighting this Saturday. Americans of all backgrounds and MoveOn members will continue fighting hateful rhetoric and policies. We will push back against the candidates who are speaking this rhetoric and the companies who are aiding and abetting in this bigotry.”
Jessica Reeves, Chief Operating Officer of VL Action said: “American issues are Latino issues and Latino issues are American issues…We do not condone the hateful rhetoric being uplifted by Saturday Night Live or the Network…We feel the best way to stop attention to this hateful, racist rhetoric is to turn out and vote on election day. This is an action that will really make a difference.”
Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org issued the following statement: “There’s mounting evidence that Donald Trump’s racist demagoguery is resulting in real-world violence, including physical and verbal intimidation, against people of color. Two weeks ago, at a rally in Virginia, when pro-immigration activists tried to interrupt Trump, his supporters physically attacked them.” Just this past weekend a white nationalist convening called Trump an “icebreaker” for the white nationalist cause – someone who is introducing and legitimizing the racist views of white nationalists to the mainstream public. NBC and SNL have an opportunity to step up and do the right thing. Canceling Trump’s appearance will deny their platform to someone who will not only embarrass them today them but whose statements and world view will be something we look back on with shame.”
Matt Hildreth, Digital Director of America’s Voice and the call moderator, said: “There’s definitely been a rise of anti-immigrant sentiment, most of that has been tied to Trump.”
Juan Escalante, Digital Campaigns Manager at America’s Voice and the author of the #RacismIsntFunny petition said: “No matter what happens tomorrow, this is a campaign that will continue to move forward, and to emphasize that Donald Trump’s hateful, anti-immigrant rhetoric has an impact on real life. NBC is trying to rebrand his comments as comedy. But when he says he wants to mass deport 11 million people, he isn’t joking. When he calls immigrants, like myself, rapists and drug dealers, he isn’t joking, he means that. NBC is trying to repackage it into comedy, and we need to tell them it is not acceptable.”
Matt Nelson, Managing Director of Presente.org, said: “Saturday Night Live’s decision to invite Donald Trump to host the show is outrageous and irresponsible. Trump’s rhetoric is not only offensive and racist – it’s dangerous, and has already led to violence against Latinos several times. Meanwhile, SNL has no Latino cast members, has hired only two Latino cast members in its entire history, and has never hired a Latina cast member.”
Cristina Jimenez, managing director for United We Dream: “I want every SNL cast member to know that their talents are being used to normalize racism, xenophobia and violence. Our members have been spat on, pushed and dragged to the ground by supporters of the man you’re rehearsing with this week. Donald Trump is no joke and your decision to appear and laugh on stage with him will go down as a dark spot on your career. Trump’s message is disgusting, rather than legitimize it, you should just call in sick.”
Arturo S. Rodriguez, PresidentUnited Farm Workers said: “Republican presidential candidates have for decades used code words to appeal to racial prejudice. But never before has a major party presidential campaign so directly appealed to hatred and racism. So we shouldn’t be surprised when some people act out racism voiced by Trump by resorting to acts of violence, including Trump supporters attacking protesters at his events and two Anglo brothers with long criminal records who severely beat a Latino homeless man in Boston last August. None of this is funny nor can be tolerated by Saturday Night Live.”
FOR AN AUDIO RECORDING OF TODAY’S CALL, VISIT: https://www.dropbox.com/s/z4cdfcolxl881hq/SNL%20110615.mp3?dl=0
