- George Pataki
« Open Letter on Donald Trump
For Immediate Release:
For Immediate Release: July 1, 2015
Contact: David Catalfamo
GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI
Sincerely,
Governor George Pataki
GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI
132 East 43rd Street # 614
New York, NY 10017
July 1, 2015
Governor Jeb Bush
Dr. Ben Carson
Governor Chris Christie
Senator Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Senator Lindsey Graham
Governor Mike Huckabee
Governor Bobby Jindal
Governor John Kasich
Senator Rand Paul
Governor Rick Perry
Senator Marco Rubio
Senator Rick Santorum
Governor Scott Walker
CC: Donald Trump
Dear Fellow Republican candidates for president,
“And some, I assume, are good people.”
The
last week of news coverage over the language used by Donald Trump to
describe Mexicans has left me and a lot of other sensible people
wondering what century we are living in.
One
hundred years ago, when Irish immigrants were coming to America, my
grandmother among them, they were too often characterized as "drunks."
A few years later it was the Italian immigrants, my grandfather
among
them, who were called "mobsters" or worse, "dagos." This type of
divisive rhetoric is just wrong. It was wrong 100 years ago and
it’s
wrong today.
Yet
here we are in 2015 and a leading candidate for the GOP nomination for
president is calling Mexicans criminals, rapists and drug dealers.
This is unacceptable.
I
understand we must secure our border and stop illegal immigration.
But
I also understand that it’s not some Mexicans who are good people, it
is the vast majority of Mexicans, who came here to work, succeed and
live the American Dream.
My
fellow Republicans like to talk about how we have to appeal to the
Latino vote if we are going to win back the White House. They
speak
some Spanish, boast about "telling it like it is," or counsel to not be
afraid to lose the primary to win the general – yet so far have been
silent when it comes to denouncing these sad and divisive remarks.
The
next President of the United States will represent all Americans.
We
won’t win by dividing Americans against one another and we certainly
can’t govern effectively doing so. We must secure the border, save
American jobs, and have a leader in the White House world leaders can
respect.
But we also must have a leader in the White House all Americans
can respect, not just some.
As
Donald Trump doubles down, I’m asking you to join me in standing up.
Stand up for our party, for the ideals that made America great,
and
stand for the basic decency and integrity entitled to every American,
no matter their heritage or nationality.
Join me. Stand up now. Denounce his comments
today.
Governor George Pataki
Pataki
for
President
132 East 43rd Street #614
New York, NY 10017
132 East 43rd Street #614
New York, NY 10017