Dan Rather Releases Statement on Trump and It Is Devastating
Tom Cahill | November 22, 2016
Legendary news anchor Dan Rather is making his stand against Donald Trump public in a viral status update posted to his Facebook page. In 642 words, Rather makes the case that Americans have a moral obligation to take a stand against the new President-elect in the wake of hate crimes committed in his name and neo-Nazis emboldened by his election openly hailing him as their leader at a recent conference in Washington, DC. Rather also took his former colleagues in the media to task for normalizing the Trump movement’s extremism.
“When I see neo-Nazis raise their hands in terrifying solute[sic], in public, in our nation’s capital, I shudder in horror. When I see that action mildly rebuked by a boilerplate statement from the President-elect whom these bigots have praised, the anger in me grows,” Rather writes. “And when I see some in a pliant press turn that mild statement into what they call a denunciation I cannot hold back any longer.”
Rather also pointed out that the formation of the United States was rooted in resistance to tyranny from an oppressive regime, and that the Bill of Rights was established to guarantee the rights and equality of all Americans. He adds that every generation must be forced to fight to retain their rights in the face of new forms of oppression.
“We have survived through bloody spasms of a Civil War and a Civil Rights Movement to extend more of these rights to more of our citizens. But the direction of our ship of state has not always been one of progress. We interned Japanese Americans, Red Baited during the McCarthy era, and more. I feel the rip tide of regression once again swelling under my feet. But I intend to remain standing.”
In his post, Rather encouraged Americans to look to the example of civil rights icons like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as an example of how to effectively and nonviolently resist oppressive leaders and policies, and insisted that the resistance to Trump isn’t rooted in mere policy arguments, but in fundamental evils exhibited by Trump’s top advisors and cabinet picks like racism, bigotry, and corruption. The journalism icon also asked his followers to beseech the press to do their due diligence in holding the incoming administration accountable.
“To all of you I say, stay vigilant,” Rather states. “Engage in your civic government. Flood newsrooms or TV networks with your calls if you feel they are slipping into the normalization of extremism. Donate your time and money to causes that will fight to protect our liberties.”
“We are a great nation. We have survived deep challenges in our past. We can and will do so again. But we cannot be afraid to speak and act to ensure the future we want for our children and grandchildren.”
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