Jewish Federation of Cleveland Issues Statement on Bigotry Following Election of Donald Trump

BEACHWOOD, OH - The Jewish Federation of Cleveland released a statement on what they view as an increasingly threatening political climate following the election of President-elect Donald Trump.

Most recently Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama has been named as the next Attorney General of the United States. Sessions has a checkered history with race relations. In 1986, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, former colleagues said that Sessions had referred to civil rights groups — including the NAACP — as “un-American” and “Communist-inspired.” An African-American federal prosecutor then, Thomas Figures, provided testimony that Sessions had referred to him as “boy.” He added that Sessions said the Ku Klux Klan was “OK until I found out they smoked pot.”

The controversy over the selection of Sessions follows the announcement that Steve Bannon, Trump's combative campaign chief, former head of Breitbart News, and a supporter of the alt-right would serve as the administration's chief strategist.

The appointment of Bannon was lambasted by the left, with several Democrats publicly denouncing Bannon and demanding Trump rescind the appointment.

"Once the news of Bannon’s appointment hit white supremacist websites last night, forums like Stormfront erupted in celebration," Southern Poverty Law Center President Richard Cohen said Nov. 14. "The alt-right, as we know, is simply a rebranding of white nationalism and is the energy behind the avalanche of racist and anti-Semitic harassment that plagued social media platforms for the entire presidential campaign."

Here's what the Jewish Federation of Cleveland had to say:

Following the presidential election last week, there have been growing expressions of concern and heightened conversations about a perceived climate of bigotry and intolerance toward religious, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBT community. As Jews, we take our responsibility to speak out against hatred extremely seriously, not only because the security of our own community is entwined with the security of other minority communities, but also because our moral values as Jews and Americans demand it. The Federation will continue its fight for equal rights, tolerance, and respect for all, any time that actions are threatened or taken in contravention of these values.

Cheryl Davis, Community Relations Committee Chair

Gary L. Gross, Board Chair

Stephen H. Hoffman, President

Photo from Jewish Federation of Cleveland