President Donald Trump is once again facing criticism and this time for his racist remarks made Sunday asking four Democratic women representatives to “Go Back” to their countries.
The four women congresswomen targeted by Trump are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Presley of Massachusetts, all U.S. citizens. Other than Omar, a Somalia-born and naturalized U.S. citizen, all the three were born in the United States.
(Image source from: Politico)
Reiterating his ridicule, Trump shrugged off protests triggering further shock and outrage.
Trump, in his tweet on Sunday, asked the progressive Democratic congresswomen, “who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe” to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
....and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
Social media was set on the storm with millions being anguished and deeply upset.
A bevy of Indian Americans, including members of Congress has denounced the president’s rhetoric.
Washington Democrat Pramila Jayapal appearing on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 said: “This is a racist, vile, xenophobic ploy to speak to, I think, a small part of his base,” she said. “This has been his playbook all along. Personalize, attack and now he is even saying, if you dissent, somehow you should go back to your country if you criticize the country. I think dissent is patriotic.”
Earlier, Indian-born Jayapal tweeted in support of a congressional censure of Trump. Retweeting fellow Democrat Steve Cohen’s call for such an action, she wrote: “Yes, Trump must be censured for his racist tweets. He. Is. A. Racist. And he does not deserve to be in the White House. Thank you @RepCohen for sponsoring this resolution.”
Yes, @realDonaldTrump must be censured for his racist tweets. He. Is. A. Racist. And he does not deserve to be in the White House. Thank you @RepCohen for sponsoring this resolution. https://t.co/kTN9lHaySv
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) July 16, 2019
California Democrat Ro Khanna tweeted: “Trump’s tweets revealed an ignorance about American history and the meaning of our founding. The best reply is Lincoln’s 1858 July 4th speech: If you believe in equality and liberty, you are ‘flesh of the flesh and blood of the blood’ of the American founders.”
Trump’s tweets revealed an ignorance about American history and the meaning of our founding. The best reply is Lincoln’s 1858 July 4th speech:
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) July 15, 2019
If you believe in equality and liberty, you are "flesh of the flesh and blood of the blood" of the American founders. pic.twitter.com/Mo8Q0Ws7Uk
Fellow Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, representing Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, said: “Mr. President, you’re saying that about Members of Congress, they are American citizens and this is their country too. Do you think it’s not their government for the same reason you assumed they “originally came from” somewhere else which must be awful? Who do you think ‘us’ is?”
Mr. President, you're saying that about Members of Congress, they are American citizens and this is their country too. Do you think it's not their government for the same reason you assumed they "originally came from" somewhere else which must be awful? Who do you think "us" is? https://t.co/P4ZCQPbY69
— Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) July 15, 2019
“Go Back to Where You Came from”
Many Indian Americans also shared their childhood experience of having been told: “Go back to where you came from.”
Actress Tiya Sircar, who grew up as an Indian American kid in Texas in the 1990s, was one of them. She tweeted: “I heard ‘go back to where you came from’ on more than one occasion. On numerous occasions throughout my life, I’ve had people ask me where I’m from. And when my answer - “Arlington, TX” - isn’t satisfactory. We learn to deal with microaggressions like ‘but where are you REALLY from?’ and we learn to deal with outright bigotry and racism.”
Recollecting another incident, she said a few years after 9/11, while celebrating New Year’s Eve in Austin, a group of young white men screamed “why don’t you go fly a plane into some buildings, you f’n camel jockey” to her then-boyfriend, who happened to also be an Indian American.
But to have the President of the United States tell a woman of color, born and raised in the USA, duly-elected to Congress, to go back to where she came from, all because she doesn’t agree with his policies is a new low, wrote Sircar, who starred in the recently released Netflix film Good Sam.
1/ Growing up an Indian-American kid in Texas in the 90s, I heard "go back to where you came from" on more than one occasion. On numerous occasions throughout my life, I've had people ask me where I'm from. And when my answer-- "Arlington, TX"-- isn't satisfactory...
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) July 16, 2019
2/ ...the follow-up question is invariably, "But where are you REALLY from." No, rly, I was born & raised in Arlington, TX. I get asked all the time "what nationality are you?". When I answer-- "American"-- I'm often met with a sort of smirk, as if to say, "you know what I mean".
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) July 16, 2019
3/ A few years after 9/11, while we were out celebrating New Year's Eve in Austin, I witnessed a group of young white men scream "why don't you go fly a plane into some buildings, you f'n camel jockey" to my then-boyfriend, who happened to also be Indian-American, also from TX.
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) July 16, 2019
4/ I'm thankful I've never been on the receiving end of such vile, targeted, bigoted hate speech myself but let me tell you, that didn't mean it hurt any less. This type of harrassment (and worse, much worse) is a reality for so many POC in this country.
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) July 16, 2019
5/ We learn to deal w/ microaggressions like "but where are you REALLY from?" & we learn to deal w/ outright bigotry & racism (did I mention a kid in my elementary school once called me "blackie"? And my Arab-American best friend in jr high, a "sand n--ger"?). Because we must.
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) July 16, 2019
6/ But to have the President of the United States tell someone like me, a woman of color, born & raised in the U.S.A., to go back to where she came from? A duly-elected sitting member of Congress, no less! All bc she (they) doesn't agree with his policies? Well, that's a new low.
— Tiya Sircar (@tiyasircar) July 16, 2019
Celebrity chef Padma Lakshmi wrote: “Go back to your country’ is a taunt immigrant kids hear on the playground, it’s a threat I get from unhinged people in my DMs, and it’s also something the President of the United States says to strong women of color who oppose him.”
“Go back to your country” is a taunt immigrant kids hear on the playground, it’s a threat I get from unhinged people in my DMs, and it’s also something the President of the United States says to strong women of color who oppose him.
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) July 15, 2019
She followed up with another tweet: “It’s rooted in centuries of ignorance, violence and white supremacy. This man does not represent us. And in 2020 we will vote him the f**k out.”
It’s rooted in centuries of ignorance, violence and white supremacy. This man does not represent us. And in 2020 we will vote him the f**k out.
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) July 15, 2019
Preet Bharara, an Indian American who was fired by Trump as the U.S. attorney, tweeted: “I’ve on occasion been told: go back to where you came from. I declined because I’m as American as anyone born in the USA. And I will speak my mind as I see fit.”
I’ve on occasion been told: go back to where you came from. I declined because I’m as American as anyone born in the USA. And I will speak my mind as I see fit.
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) July 15, 2019
Neal Katyal, a Supreme Court lawyer, and former Acting Solicitor General, shared his experience: “I spoke personally today about hearing “go back to your country” ever since I was 3 yrs old. Still get it to this day (almost every day). I’m here!”
I spoke personally today about hearing "go back to your country" ever since I was 3 yrs old. Still get it to this day(almost every day). I'm here!
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) July 16, 2019
My comments start about 9 minutes into @AriMelber. Discussed a bit more on my (new!) instagram &will do morehttps://t.co/OgYYG3rolU
Sandhya Menon, a New York Times bestselling author, responded to Trump with a warm hug for all. “Hi, If you need a hug today after you-know-who tweeted you-know-what, imagine me hugging you. You’re here and I see you. We’re bigger and stronger than their hatred and we’re not going anywhere.” She just added a tweak to her response saying, “Saunters off to write more happy, brown books.”
Hi. If you need a hug today after you-know-who tweeted you-know-what, imagine me hugging you. You're here and I see you. We're bigger and stronger than their hatred and we're not going anywhere. *saunters off to write more happy, brown books*
— Sandhya Menon (@smenonbooks) July 15, 2019
By Sowmya Sangam
