The African Human Rights Coalition on Donald Trump Statements:
We cannot find words strong enough to condemn the extremist rhetoric and fascist statements made by Donald Trump, including his latest where he proposes that all Muslims should be denied entry to the USA. Trump does not stand for American values. Trump does not represent America. He is a candidate running for the Republican Party nomination for the U.S. Presidency. After the Republicans choose their nominee, then that nominee will still have to face an election against the Democratic Party nominee. What Trump is proposing is unacceptable and can never be a reality.
So to our LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers, who are of the Muslim faith, I want to reassure you, that you will not be discriminated against, and to the extent that the USA will receive refugees through UNHCR, you will not be impacted and are equally welcome:
Trump’s proposal is not rooted in reality and could never come to fruition because in order to ban Muslims from entering the USA, the US Congress will first have to legislate a law to this effect, and such a law would be clearly unconstitutional, based on the Constitution's Equal Protection clause, and so will be invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court;
Trump is speaking in his capacity as a presidential candidate for the Republican Party nomination. He is not yet the Republican nominee. Prominent Republicans leaders are coming out against this proposal too; and
The Democratic Party is vigorously opposed to Trump’s proposal.
Trumps comments are harmful and hurtful to Muslim Americans , Muslims around the world and in truth to all Americans. His extremism is akin to Nazi type extremism. What he says can hurt U.S. security, through encouraging further radicalization and terrorist recruitment.
It must be stressed that Trump's views are not the views of the majority of Americans, who consider American Muslims as fellow citizens with equal rights and our best allies to combat radicalization. Trump’s remarks are so outrageous and irresponsible that at this point, although we are not a political organization, we cannot keep silent, to reassure the Muslim community of refugees and to condemn these statements. It is our opinion that all civil society organizations, especially those in the field of equality and human rights should speak out vehemently against Donald Trump’s continued use of the presidential campaign as a security risk and bully pulpit.
By Melanie Nathan, ED African Human Rights Coalition Contact: nathan@africanHRC.org