While I am loathe to normalize a Presidency that ought to be impeached and especially in light of current revelations relating to the Ukraine, I am compelled right now to speak out against the fact that Donald J. Trump just stood on the World Stage in full blown hypocrisy - on issues that impact people we work with at African HRC. Let me first say that this dangerous man should not have that stage at all, as evidenced by the very harm he spewed today:
Donald Trump, in his capacity as President of the United States, addressed the United Nations General Assembly today with hypocritical mixed messaging, where he spoke about the decriminalization of homosexuality in the over 60 countries which criminalize LGBTI people, while expressing his favor for Nationalism at the same time. One cannot do both! It is hypocrisy of the worst order.
One cannot claim to be concerned about the decriminalization of LGBTQI people worldwide, with notably over half those countries in Africa, while in effect denying those impacted by it a clear asylum route and process for asylum and while reducing those refugee numbers into the United States, even threatening to stop all refugee resettlement.
Today as Trump delivered his message he stood firm on his policy of Nationalism and decried globalization, saying that "The future does not belong to globalists, the future belongs to Patriots…”
His actual Nationalist policy, which has propped up racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, reduction in refugee numbers, changing of asylum rules and denial of lawful asylum process at our Southern Border, all underpinned by clear White Supremacist dicta, stands in stark contrast to actually caring about LGBTI individuals worldwide.
The USA has a duty under our law and international conventions to provide sanctuary and protection to refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom are LGBTQI escaping persecution in criminalizing countries. For as long as Trump continues along this path of Nationalism, his words are meaningless and his actions speak volumes about his anti-LGBTQI reality. African HRC is compelled to call on this Republican Administration to reject the notion of Nationalism, and its dicta. This policy of Nationalism has served to abuse human rights, to demonize immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. We ask President Trump to rethink globalization as a serious concomitant of our commitment to being a leader for human rights in the world. The United States must embrace proper process and full consideration for all refugees and asylum seekers, and to stop, in effect, turning his back on LGBTQI individuals from criminalizing and persecuting countries. MELANIE NATHAN, Executive Director, African Human Rights Coalition.
