The NAACP is calling on Donald Trump to stay the hell away from the grand opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. And while “stay the hell away” is a paraphrase of the NAACP’s position, it’s not too far off the tone. 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 NAACP President Derrick Johnson in a statement. “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 was joined in his outrage by NAACP board member and Mississippi native Dr. Amos Brown, who said that “As a freedom fighter and contemporary of Emmett Till, Trump’s visit is an insult.”
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders had better either commit to open hostility or put her “butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth” act into overdrive for Wednesday’s press briefing, given that on Tuesday, when she was asked about protests of Trump’s visit to the museum, her take was that “I think that would be, honestly, very sad. I think this is something that should bring the country together to celebrate the opening of this museum and highlighting Civil Rights Movement and the progress that we've made. And would I hope that those individuals would join in that celebration instead of protesting it. However, they have every right to protest it.”
As if civil rights leaders were going to be protesting the celebration of the civil rights movement. No, Sarah, it’s the fact that an enemy of equality is slated to be a headline name at that celebration, which kinda ruins it for some people.
Sanders, laughably, went on to claim that, after Charlottesville, Trump “got his statement very clear when he condemned all forms of racism, bigotry, and violence,” and “made it very clear what his position is.” Thing being, he did make it very clear what his position is—and condemning racism and bigotry is not that position. Which brings us back to why the NAACP doesn’t want him at the opening of that civil rights museum.
What’s Trump going to do? Attend the grand opening just to show that he won’t be pushed around by the NAACP, or have a tantrum and skip it? (Skipping it in a classy way is not really on the list of Trump behaviors.)