WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is angered by President Trump’s recent racist tweets aimed at Baltimore and several women of color in Congress. We demand Trump stop making such comments immediately.
Instead, Trump should behave in a way fitting of the dignity and gravity of the highest office in the land and unite our nation to end the racism, poverty and violence that plague not only parts of our country’s great cities but areas in rural and suburban America.
Trump’s most recent tweets are just the latest in his long string of racist attacks. For instance, he has called Haiti and African nations “shithole” countries. He has characterized Atlanta – a city with a majority black population – as “crime infested.” And he has said immigrants who come from Latin America will “infest” our nation.
Such comments may energize a small part of Trump’s base. But the President’s tweets are deplorable and are causing long-lasting damage to the psyche of our nation.
NASW and the nation’s social workers have long been committed to ending racism in this nation and the societal ills that result from racism – including housing discrimination, poverty and health care and mental health care disparities.
So we demand Trump stop tweeting for a while and do the real, presidential work of addressing these societal problems. Action speaks louder than tweets.
