More than 2,500 Faith Leaders Denounce Trump’s Cabinet of Bigotry

More than 2,500 Faith Leaders Denounce Trump's Cabinet of Bigotry

Dear Members of Congress,

As a community of faith, we stand firmly and morally opposed to the dangerous and divisive voices that Presidentelect Trump is elevating into positions of great power. White supremacy has no place in the West Wing or any other rung of leadership.

We object not only to one individual, but to a clear pattern that Mr. Trump is building a cabinet founded on bigotry and a racial ideology that degrades religious minorities, immigrants and people of color.

Senator Jeff Sessions has a long history of bigoted comments towards people of color and civil rights organizations, including the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In 1984 Sen. Sessions tried to prosecute three Alabama civil rights workers for their voter registration work. This politically motivated case not only failed, but also led to Congress rejecting him as unfit for judicial office. It is an outrage for Sessions to oversee the civil rights division of the Department of Justice.

Steve Bannon, formerly led the far-right website Breitbart News, which has ceaselessly promoted racist, sexist, antiSemitic and homophobic rhetoric that degrades the human dignity of millions of Americans.

While we respect Michael Flynn's military service, he has called Islam `a Cancer' and used social media to stoke fears of Jews and Muslims. National security experts know that such divisive fear-fueled rhetoric only leads to senseless hate crimes here in America, and needlessly puts at risk our men and women in uniform.

As proud Americans committed to defending the Bill of Rights and freedom of religion, we oppose putting in powerful positions these individuals who have stoked truly dangerous bigotry.

All of our faith traditions teach us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. After a painful and contentious election, the future of our nation rests in our ability to unite and work collaboratively for the common good of all people. But we cannot coalesce around these ambassadors of hatred, bigotry and intimidation.

We are a country founded on the principle that all people are created equal. As the future of our nation is shaped by its new president, we must cling strongly to those values that make our nation great -- liberty, justice and freedom for all.

In the coming days, our prayer is that you call on President-elect Trump to reject these white supremacists and appoint advisers who understand that forging a more tolerant, united and inclusive America is the best way forward. We urge you not to remain silent at such a time as this for through your silence you suggest agreement.

In Faith,

Rev. Jennifer Butler CEO Faith in Public Life Washington, DC

Rev. Dr. William Barber Repairers of the Breach Goldsboro, NC

Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner Skinner Leadership Institute Washington, DC

Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins Disciples of Christ Indianapolis, IN

Wes Granberg-Michaelson Reformed Church Santa Fe, NM

Assoc. Pastor Kega Nasios First Christian Church Glendale Phoenix, AZ Disciples of Christ

Br. Michael Gosch Clerics of St. Viator Chicago, IL Catholic

Deacon Patrick Comfort St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church DuBois, PA Catholic

Imam Talib Shareef Masjid Muhammad Washington, DC Muslim

Rabbi David Paskin Ohel Boca Raton, FL Jewish

Rabbi Michael Friedland Sinai Synagogue South Bend, IN Jewish

Rabbi Scott Shafrin Kol Rinah St. Louis, MO Jewish

Rabbi Batsheva Meiri Beth HaTephila Asheville, NC Jewish

Rabbi David Teutsch Dorshei Derekh Philadelphia, PA Jewish

Rabbi Deborah Waxman Dorshei Derekh Wyncote, PA Jewish

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association Wyncote, PA Jewish

Rev. Tyler Richards St Andrew's Episcopal Church Montevallo, AL Episcopalian

Rev. Rock Fremont Jr. Central United Methodist Church Phoenix, AZ UMC

Rev. Tully M. Fletcher IV Orangewood Presbyterian Phoenix, AZ PC (USA)

Rev. Sid Smith Berkeley Mt Zion Baptist Church Oakland, CA Southern Baptist

Rev. Mark Meeks Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church Denver, CO PC (USA)

Rev. Alwen Bledsoe Episcopal church Golden, CO Episcopalian

Rev. Joy Willard-Williford Hope Episcopal Church Melbourme, FL Episcopalian

Rev. Deborah Lynch Independent Interfaith Minister St. Petersburg, FL Interfaith

Rev. Joseph Devlin Wellspring House of Prayer Leesburg, FL Pentecostal

Rev. Beth McDowell British Methodist Church Atlanta, GA UMC

Rev. William Givens Wieuca Road Baptist Church Atlanta, GA Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Rev. Jessica Petersen Congregational United Church of Christ Newton, IA

UCC

Rev. Frederick Gaddy St. Paul AME Church Des Moines, IA African Methodist Episcopal

Rev. Stacey Simpson Duke First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI American Baptist

Rev. Stacey Foster Life changers iInternational Ministries Detroit, MI Pentecostal

Rev. Mary Sweet Whitehall UMC Charge Muskegon, MI UMC

Rev. Judy Peterson Excelsior Covenant Church Eagan, MN Evangelical

Rev. Carolyn Lopez First Crow Indian Baptist Church Lodge Grass, MT American Baptist

Rev. Sharon Wheeler Elon Community Church UCC Burlington, NC UCC

Rev. Art Smoker First Presbyterian Church Mars Hill, NC Mennonite

Rev. Christopher Copeland Green Street Church Winston-Salem, NC

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