Essex County Mayors Among Those Calling For Trump Boycott: Muslim Ban Would Be 'Un-American'

There is a new voice in the growing opposition to Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s call to ban all Muslim immigration in the United States… the New Jersey Black Mayor’s Alliance for Social Justice.

The group of mayors – which includes Newark’s Ras J. Baraka, Montclair’s Robert Jackson, East Orange’s Lester Taylor and Orange’s Dwayne Warren – issued a statement on Friday, calling for a national boycott of all Donald Trump’s casinos, golf courses and other assets.

“Donald Trump’s very vocal support for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States is unconstitutional, un-American and dangerous,” the statement read. “We can’t let our fear of terrorism cause us to forget who we are as a nation.”

The mayors added:

“Trump’s remarks are beyond the pale. They are more than racist, bigoted and offensive. They threaten our security by giving ISIS a powerful new tool to use in recruiting new terrorists here in America and around the world. They threaten the millions who peacefully practice Islam in our country and who contribute to its greatness. Donald Trump is asking us to give up the freedoms that Americans have fought and died for since the founding of our nation.”

The New Jersey Black Mayors Alliance for Social Justice currently includes: Mayor Ras J. Baraka (Newark),Mayor Frank Minor (Logan); Mayor Adrian Mapp (Plainfield); Mayor Eric Jackson (Trenton); Mayor Lester Taylor (East Orange); Mayor Tony Vauss (Irvington); Mayor Robert Jackson (Montclair); Mayor Angela Garretson (Hillside); Mayor Jeff Hamilton (Paulsboro); Mayor John Washington (PennsGrove); Mayor Derek Armstead (Linden); Mayor Lizette Parker (Teaneck); Mayor Albert Kelly(Bridgeton); Mayor Carolyn Chang (Westampton); Mayor Rick Taylor (Pennsauken); Mayor Jesse L. Tweedle (Pleasantville); Mayor Dwayne Warren (Orange); Mayor Barbara Wallace ( Washington Township); Mayor Charles Washington (Salem); Mayor Mary Ann Wardlow (Lawnside Township); and Mayor Michael Blunt (Chesilhurst).

WHAT’S THE UPROAR ABOUT?

In November, Trump made a now-infamous proclamation that he witnessed news reports of “thousands of Muslims” cheering and celebrating in Jersey City the day of the 9/11 attacks.

• See related article: WATCH: Trump: ‘Thousands’ Cheered In N.J. Town As Twin Towers Fell On Sept. 11, 2001
• See related article: Trump: Apologize For Saying I Lied About N.J. Muslims Cheering 9-11

Trump’s declaration was widely criticized and scrutinized by New Jersey civil rights groups and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fullop, who stated that no such accounts of celebrating Muslims exist.

• See related article: I Was In Jersey City On 9/11. Nobody Was Happy, Mr. Trump.

Recently, Trump called for a total ban of Muslim immigration into the United States until the nation can “figure out what is going on.”

• See related article: Trump Says Stop Muslims From Entering U.S.A.

Scores of civil rights and Muslim activist groups have since lambasted Trump’s statements.

“Donald Trump’s proposal to bar Muslims from entering our country based solely on their faith is blatantly unlawful and fundamentally un-American,” NY ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero stated on Tuesday. “We are a nation of immigrants, many of whom came to this country to escape prejudice and discrimination. We urge all of our political leaders to categorically reject this dangerous escalation of hateful rhetoric because it undermines our core American values.”

“The fact that this can be perpetuated by someone who is in the running to be president, it’s scary,” said Al-Khatahtbeh, the founder of MuslimGirl.net, an online publication that aims to combat misconceptions about Islam, told the International Business Times.

“It really makes way for a heightened environment for hate crimes,” Al-Khatahtbeh attested. “For American Muslim women who wear headscarves, it makes it even harder for them to step out of the house because they’re easily identifiable. ... These comments don’t happen in a vacuum. They have real life-or-death consequences for American Muslims.”

• See related article: Local Muslims and the Impact of 9/11

File photo by Ninian Reid via flickr