President Donald Trump’s planned visit to a civil rights museum in Mississippi is an insult to civil rights heroes, according to the NAACP.
“President Trump’s statements and policies regarding the protection and enforcement of civil rights have been abysmal, and his attendance is an affront to the veterans of the civil rights movement,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO.
Trump is scheduled to attend the opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson this weekend.
“He has created a commission to reinforce voter suppression, refused to denounce white supremacists, and overall, has created a racially hostile climate in this nation,” Johnson added.
If Trump’s idea is to give himself a pat on the back, he is too little, too late, said Dr. Amos Brown, an NAACP board member and president of the organization’s San Francisco branch.
“As a freedom fighter and contemporary of Emmett Till, Trump’s visit is an insult. He has never been a supporter of civil rights or equal opportunity or justice,” Brown said.
In addition to his repeated racist remarks, what Trump hasn’t said about racially motivated issues has been loud enough, according to Brown: “He’s been silent on civil rights issues, and his silence speaks volumes.”
Activists have announced plans to protest Trump’s visit, a move White House press secretary described as “honestly very sad.”
“I think this is something that should bring the country together to celebrate the opening of this museum and highlighting [the] civil rights movement and the progress that we’ve made,” she said. “And I would hope that those individuals would join in that celebration instead of protesting it.”
Sanders also called Trump’s position on racism and bigotry “very clear.”
Trump’s response to Charlottesville, calling for blame on “both sides” after a woman protesting against white supremacy was killed; his delay on disavowing KKK leaders; his use of a racial slur targeting Native Americans at an event honoring those very people; his description of NFL players protesting police brutality in America as “sons of bitches”; and his retweet of anti-Muslim videos from a far-right British party are just a few of the more recent instances in which the president made “very clear” what his stance is.
The White House did not offer any details on why Trump would not speak to the 108-year-old civil rights group.
In July Trump turned down an invitation to speak at the NAACP’s annual convention. The White House at the time did not provide a reason why Trump would not attend. Both of his most recent predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, delivered speeches to the NAACP during their time in office.
Trump just can’t get it right when it comes to museums.
President Trump bragged about his “double, double, double” digits victory in South Carolina while touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In February Trump could not pass an opportunity to brag about his election victory during a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
On his tour Trump was accompanied by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is one of three Black members of the Senate. After thanking the senator for attending the museum with him Trump said, “I like the state of South Carolina. I like all those states where I won by double, double, double digits. You know, those states.”
The National Museum of African American History and Culture will provide a history lesson on Black progress in America that Donald Trump needs.
Last September, while still campaigning for the presidency, Trump incorrectly referred to the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture as “the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, African American Art.”
“Mr. Trump is welcome to come to the museum, just as everyone else,” co-founder Earl Jones said. “But he’s not gonna receive any special treatment.”
Also around that time, then candidate Trump’s request to visit a civil rights museum in Greensboro, N.C., was rejected after the campaign was allegedly rude to museum staffers and made special requests that the museum would not accommodate.
