April 14, 2017
Issue: Fighting Bigotry
Civil Rights Advocates Renew Efforts to Oust Bannon
WASHINGTON – As news outlets continue to report on whether embattled White House chief strategist and white nationalist Stephen Bannon will continue serving in the administration, 26 diverse civil rights groups are reminding the Trump Administration that governing through Bannon’s divisive and hateful campaign style is out of step with the country.
With a joint statement and digital media push, the groups are highlighting Bannon’s record of bigotry and how Bannonism has led to a failure of governance. The groups’ joint statement is below:
“Stephen Bannon has built his political career on vilifying people of color, women, religious minorities, and the LGBT community. This hate has shown itself in the offensive nature of the Trump campaign and in the White House’s early efforts to ban Muslims and refugees, tear apart immigrant communities, roll back protections for transgender students, deny access to birth control and re-ignite the War on Drugs – but that is still only the tip of the iceberg of what a Bannon White House will try.
Bannon’s removal from the National Security Council was an important step toward de-politicizing our nation’s security apparatus and he should also be removed from the White House entirely.
Bannon is of no governing use. Bigotry and fear-mongering may win some votes but, as has been evident throughout the inauspicious start of the Trump presidency, they are ineffective governing strategies.
The Trump Administration will continue to blunder under Bannon’s brand of divisive leadership and any demotion or expulsion can only be a step in the right direction.”
Signed,
Muslim Advocates
9to5, National Association of Working Women
America’s Voice
Arab American Institute
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles
Bend the Arc Jewish Action
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Equality California
HRC
Japanese American Citizens League
Lambda Legal
League of United Latin American Citizens
Matthew Shepard Foundation
Mi Familia Vota
National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse
The National Bar Association
National Black Justice Coalition
National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
National Council of Jewish Women
National Immigration Law Center
National LGBTQ Task Force
Southern Poverty Law Center
United We Dream