By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Nov. 18, 2016: Caribbean-American Congresswoman, Yvette D. Clarke, is among more than 30 US congressional lawmakers who are urging the President-elect to rescind the appointment of Breitbart news executive Steven Bannon.
The alt-right media executive, who ironically was born, in Norfolk, Virginia into a working-class, Irish Catholic, pro-Kennedy, pro-union family of Democrats, has faced a gaggle of criticism since it was announced that he will serve as chief strategist to Donald Trump in the White House come 2017.
Bannon has been accused of peddling or being complicit in white supremacy, anti-Semitism and sexism in the articles published on the Breitbart site, which has lauded the Confederate flag and taken aim at Jewish people and women. Bannon himself has made controversial statements about women and homosexuals.
“We strongly believe that Mr. Bannon’s appointment will not allow the country to heal and come together as one,” the congressional letter stated, while calling on Trump to “build a diverse White House staff who are committed to the core American values of inclusiveness, diversity and tolerance.”
“We call on President-Elect Trump to remove Steve Bannon from his position on the #WhiteHouse team,” Congresswoman Clarke posted on Facebook.
And in a statement she said she is “deeply concerned about the appointment” of Bannon, who is known for his “longtime association with white nationalist, xenophobic, and anti-women politics has raised serious concerns that he will use his position in the federal government to undermine the best traditions of our nation and attempt to relegate women, African Americans, Latinos, Jews, Muslims, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community to second-class citizenship.”
“These are not just words,” said the Jamaican-American, Brooklyn lawmaker. “Reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) demonstrate that hate crimes have already increased dramatically since Election Day – including a swastika recently painted on the sidewalk in Crown Heights. The threat of violent hatred has become a reality for more and more Americans.
“We cannot – and we will not – allow anyone to disregard our humanity and demean our existence. I urge the incoming administration to reject such vile rhetoric and urge my constituents to report suspected hate crimes to law enforcement authorities.”
Trump has yet to address the criticism of Bannon but a spokesperson has called him “a brilliant tactician.”
The congressional letter comes as South Park last night featured Bannon. The animated Bannon reassures White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in the episode that the transition of Mr. Garrison, who is South Park’s Donald Trump character, will be smooth; meanwhile, Garrison starts exacting revenge on those who opposed him during the election.
“All indications are the transition is going to be fine,” the Bannon character says on the show.
Eight episodes in to its 10-episode 20th season, the animated Comedy Central satire has been devoted to savaging this year’s election.
