New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City would continue to take in Syrian refugees. He also took time out of his press conference to drive home the sheer heartlessness of Republican leadership’s political play in this arena by directing a very personal attack on Governor Chris Christie. He held up a copy of the now famously tragic photo of the very young, deceased Syrian refugee boy, being carried by a soldier.
Bill de Blasio: Finally, and allow me to be blunt and graphic, I’d like to know what Governor Christie says about this. This is the cost of not bringing in people who are innocent victims of humanitarian crisis. This child’s death was on the front pages of newspapers all over the world. This image gripped the world. Governor Christie specifically said that he didn’t think it was appropriate for small children brought in. Is this what he wants to see happen to people? Is this what he wants to see happen to children? We don’t accept that in here in New York.
The crowd de Blasio spoke to erupted in cheers and applause and rightly so. Shame on you, Governor Christie. Shame on all of you who use fear to allow the evil deeds of men continue without offering any safety or refuge for the innocent.
Bill de Blasio: This is a nation of immigrants and we are sitting in the city that has the Statue of Liberty, that is the epitome of welcoming immigrants over generations. By the way, those immigrants were in many many cases fleeing violence and persecution. This is not a new reality in human history. And I’m certain some of those immigrants were Governor Christie’s forebears. So I find it absolutely hypocritical for anyone to say let us shut our borders to people who are victims of violence, the innocent people who are fleeing a humanitarian crisis. That’s un-american.
Watch highlights of Bill de Blasio taking it to the right-wing cowards of our country, specifically the bully across the Hudson River.