Judge Andrew Napolitano recently penned an editorial over at Fox News that deserves everyone's attention. "Trump has unleashed a torrent of hatred" https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/judge-andrew-napolitano-the-longest-pleasure is well-argued and clear-eyed in its message.
The article was inspired by Trump's remarks on Twitter about four Democratic congresswomen of color already referenced on this blog. Interestingly, Napolitano accepts the Trump apologetics offered to explain the remarks after they were issued and caused such an uproar. It is the "America, love it or leave it!" mantra that the judge gives both barrels.
He wrote: "The phrase itself – with its command of the government's way or the highway – admits no dissenting opinions, suggests that all is well and proper here, and insinuates that moral norms and cultural values cannot be improved. The phrase itself is un-American." I couldn't agree with him more if I tried!
Napolitano continued: "'Go back' is a rejection of the nation as a melting pot; a condemnation of one of America's founding values – E Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one). It implicates a racial or nativist superiority: We were here before you; this is our land, not yours; get out. Nativist hatred is an implication of moral or even legal superiority that has no constitutional justification in American government."
The judge then proceeded to clearly delineate just why this kind of language is so dangerous, especially coming from a president. He wrote: "The problem is that presidential hatred produces division among people and destroys peaceful dialogue. When thousands of people at a Trump rally in North Carolina recently chanted, 'Send her back' referring to a congresswoman born in Somalia – and Trump tweeted that the four congresswomen (including three born in the U.S.) should 'Go back' to where they came from – the inescapable image was of a president trying to divide rather than unite."
Napolitano, however, made clear that the implications of such speech for our society as a whole are of much greater consequence (as he sees it) than simply reprimanding an individual. He wrote: "Hatred is so volatile and destructive that, once unleashed, it takes on a life of its own. It is cover for our deepest and darkest instincts. And it is a cousin to violence, as those Louisiana and Manhattan cops know."
I think Judge Napolitano is exactly right, and his remarks demand even more attention seeing as how they come from a man and network who have so vociferously supported Trump and his policies in times past.
The article was inspired by Trump's remarks on Twitter about four Democratic congresswomen of color already referenced on this blog. Interestingly, Napolitano accepts the Trump apologetics offered to explain the remarks after they were issued and caused such an uproar. It is the "America, love it or leave it!" mantra that the judge gives both barrels.
He wrote: "The phrase itself – with its command of the government's way or the highway – admits no dissenting opinions, suggests that all is well and proper here, and insinuates that moral norms and cultural values cannot be improved. The phrase itself is un-American." I couldn't agree with him more if I tried!
Napolitano continued: "'Go back' is a rejection of the nation as a melting pot; a condemnation of one of America's founding values – E Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one). It implicates a racial or nativist superiority: We were here before you; this is our land, not yours; get out. Nativist hatred is an implication of moral or even legal superiority that has no constitutional justification in American government."
The judge then proceeded to clearly delineate just why this kind of language is so dangerous, especially coming from a president. He wrote: "The problem is that presidential hatred produces division among people and destroys peaceful dialogue. When thousands of people at a Trump rally in North Carolina recently chanted, 'Send her back' referring to a congresswoman born in Somalia – and Trump tweeted that the four congresswomen (including three born in the U.S.) should 'Go back' to where they came from – the inescapable image was of a president trying to divide rather than unite."
Napolitano, however, made clear that the implications of such speech for our society as a whole are of much greater consequence (as he sees it) than simply reprimanding an individual. He wrote: "Hatred is so volatile and destructive that, once unleashed, it takes on a life of its own. It is cover for our deepest and darkest instincts. And it is a cousin to violence, as those Louisiana and Manhattan cops know."
I think Judge Napolitano is exactly right, and his remarks demand even more attention seeing as how they come from a man and network who have so vociferously supported Trump and his policies in times past.
