Did President Donald Trump use colorful language to call or allude that some Caribbean, Central American, and African nations are undesirable places to live and posed the question on why we should let more of them in? There are conflicting stories. Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin lays out the controversial comments to the Chicago Tribune. South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the comments were “basically true”. The President refuted the accusations saying that he isn’t a racist and said that the controversy was made up by the Democrats.
Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said “take them out.” Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings – unfortunately, no trust!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018
Georgia’s junior Senator David Perdue (R), who was at the bi-partisan meeting along with his colleagues Sens. Durbin and Graham, initially said that he didn’t recall the President using the colorful term. In fact, he and his cohort in immigration reform policy, Senator Tom Cotton (R-KS), issued a joint statement stating they don’t remember the President those words. Senator Perdue stepped up his defense of the President during Sunday morning television where he insisted that Trump’s statements were a “gross misrepresentation”. Contrast that to Georgia’s senior Senator Johnny Isakson (R) who rebuked the comments made by the President if they were true.
Few Republicans are rushing to defend the President’s comments. However, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Senator Perdue is helping to circle the wagons around President Trump’s latest controversy since he is a primary ally of the President in the US Senate as well as leading the charge of immigration reform. As for the statement itself, I believe the only reason it’s controversial is because President Trump said it. The man could say the sky is blue and Democrats would deride his statement. However, I think there’s something more telling in Durbin’s recounting of the meeting from the Chicago Tribune:
And Durbin said Trump in the meeting called for more Europeans to be admitted to the U.S. “He said, ‘Put me down for one of the more Europeans to come to this country. Why don’t we get more people from Norway?’ “
I boil it down to this: “Why do we want more people from poor countries coming to the United States? Why don’t we get more people from these rich countries?” I don’t think it’s a matter of skin color, it seems like the comments were more about an immigrant’s pocketbook. The President is a rich guy, his friends are wealthy, so I believe he’s more impressed by a person’s wealth more than anything else.
The President’s statements were off-putting for a someone in his position. His sentiment towards those trying to find opportunity in a new homeland is disappointing. Our ideals, in spite of our shortcomings, make us attractive to the citizens who live in impoverished, oppressive nations. We should be willing to welcome those who long for freedom regardless if they are from Norway, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Zimbabwe, or Venezuela. The United States has always stood as a beacon of hope, opportunity, and freedom. I hope that we continue to keep that lamp lit by the golden door.