Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma might just have the job title you’d least expect to be included in a story about criticizing comments made by Donald Trump. But the fact is, even Republicans, when they come from an area of deep diversity like the capital of Oklahoma, are less likely to be racists themselves than someone like Trump — whose experience with people of color has always been informed by his upbringing and his arrogance.
So when Mayor Holt saw Trump’s behavior over the weekend, the 40-year-old, mostly white, part Osage Native was driven to respond. Trump’s relentless attacks on “The Squad,” a group of four nonwhite women in Congress whose he loves to pretend are foreign, though only one of them was born outside the United States, were enough to spark outrage across the country over his racist remarks.
The Mayor decided to tweet his own feelings on the subject, and it could not have been more timely or needed — especially from a Republican — than right now, while the country is still reeling from finding out that Trump doesn’t even plan to pretend anymore that he’s not a racist.
Oklahoma City is a diverse community where 60 percent of our children are non-white. Many of our residents are immigrants. Almost all of us are the descendants of immigrants. We are working closely with our Native community to honor those who were truly the first Americans. (1/2)
— Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) July 14, 2019
As an Osage I’m a living example of the collision between the new world & the old. I suppose I could go back to my country but I would have to leave some of myself here. It’s all messy & complicated but made simpler when we exercise empathy, grace & love and we welcome all. (2/2)
— Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) July 14, 2019
If only Donald Trump and his merry band of Congressional racists could see things the same way.
Featured image via screen capture
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