Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, is going to boycott President-elect Donald Trump's impending inauguration because of the man's racism against Hispanics — and he is not afraid to call him out on it.
I had hoped that this Friday’s Inauguration would be a moment of healing and outreach...
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
...but yesterday, two days before the Inauguration, two things occurred that leave me no choice but to boycott the event.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
While in DC, 40 migrant students from TX34 were subjected to comments of “beaners," “burritos," and "wetbacks” from Inauguration attendees
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
Then, @realDonaldTrump made his final cabinet selection, leading to no Hispanic representation in the cabinet for the 1st time in 36 yrs.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
Mr. Trump’s repeated acts of disrespect for the 33 million Americans of Hispanic descent are historic in modern times.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
The hope that his actions as President would not match his political rhetoric is becoming more and more of a distant dream.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
One would think that an American President in the 21st Century would be dedicated to eradicating racism once and for all.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
However, Mr. Trump has turned a blind eye to overt racism. Indeed, in many instances, Mr. Trump himself has stirred the seeds of bigotry.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
This is an ominous sign for the future of the American Presidency and the United States of America.
— US Rep. Filemon Vela (@RepFilemonVela) January 19, 2017
Vela's comment about Trump's lack of Hispanic representation refers to the fact that, with his decision to appoint former governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia as his agriculture secretary, he will be the first president to not have a Hispanic individual in his cabinet since 1988. This is no doubt partially attributable to Trump's poor showing among Hispanic voters — he won anywhere from 18 percent to 29 percent of the Hispanic vote — to his racist claim that the Mexican government sends rapists and criminals to the United States.
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