Earlier today, President Trump gave a disgusting speech in which he referred to the Democrats in Congress as “unAmerican” and “treasonous” because they refused to clap in a satisfactory manner during his State of the Union address.
“Somebody said treasonous. I mean, yeah, I guess, why not? Can we call that treason? Why not?” the president said.
The rhetoric is something one would normally expect from a banana republic dictator attempting to solidify control. He’s villainizing the opposition party and conflating loyalty to himself personally with loyalty to the nation’s institutions. It does a grave disservice to the Office of the Presidency.
Trump says Democrats who didn't clap for him at the State of the Union are "un-American" and "treasonous." pic.twitter.com/lKUx0m3KKK
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 5, 2018
Trump’s words are distinctly undemocratic. Americans are not obligated to support the president. As President Theodore Roosevelt famously wrote: “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
We have the right to criticize Trump and Democrats in Congress have the right, the duty, to voice their concern and opposition to his disastrous administration. Refusing to clap during his inane, xenophobic State of the Union address was one such way to voice this opposition.
CNN‘s Symone D. Sanders took to Twitter to break down the president’s comments and explain their place in the larger strategy of racism that Trump has been employing for years.
She says that Trump referred to African-American members of Congress as “they” which has the effect of othering them.
Sanders went on to shred President Trump, pointing out that the United States is not a dictatorship, regardless of what he might want. Agreeing with and praising the president isn’t some national requirement, nor is it inherently patriotic.
Furthermore, Congress is coequal to the presidency, not subservient to it.
The President of the United States of America today repeatedly alluded to African-American members of Congress as "they." He also went on to suggest that the Black members and Dems as a whole were un-American. Let me help yall with something really quick…
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) February 5, 2018
We do not live in a dictatorship. Agreeing with the President is not a prerequisite for patriotism. Also…CONGRESS IS A COEQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. Therefore, they are here to challenge the President when needed and work with the President when appropriate.
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) February 5, 2018
Finally, Sanders took aim at the fact that Trump keeps touting low black unemployment rates as a major win and proof that he cares about African Americans. She said that even if the numbers are currently low, the unemployment rates for black Americans is still twice the national average for white Americans. In other words, Trump has no right to brag until parity is reached.
While Sanders didn’t point it out, the unemployment rate for black Americans spiked up last week, destroying Trump’s talking point altogether.
Lastly…NO ONE SHOULD BE GIVING OUT COOKIES, HANDCLAPS OR PATS ON THE BACK FOR TRUMP TOUTING A LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR BLACK FOLKS THAT IS STILL TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF WHITE FOLKS. So I stand (or sit rather) with the @OfficialCBC ✊
Sanders is spot on in her criticism. The entire country should be outraged that President Trump said it’s “treasonous” to oppose him. It represents another attack on political norms and democratic institutions. The White House must issue a formal apology, although it’s unlikely they will. Trump will just continue getting worse and more authoritarian the longer he’s in office. He must go.