USA Today: on Civil Rights


Joe Walsh: It's racist to say "go back to where you came from"

Walsh has a history of inconsistency in his opinions of Trump's rhetoric. At times, he has denounced the president as a racist. This summer when Trump told four Democratic congresswomen, who are people of color and citizens of the U.S., to "go back and help fix" the countries he said they "originally came" from before trying to make legislative changes in the USA, Walsh spoke out.

"To say 'go back to where you came from' is gross. It's offensive, ignorant, anti-American, and racist," Walsh tweeted. "The most racist thing Donald Trump said yesterday? Of Baltimore, he said: 'No human being would want to live there.' So all those black Americans who live in majority black Baltimore aren't human beings? That's really ugly. That's really racist.

But it was not that long ago that Walsh thought Trump's language made him a bully, but not a racist, and that Walsh was still making racist claims about Obama: "Trump treats everyone like shit. Not just black women. He's not a racist. He's a bully."

Source: USA Today on Twitter postings by 2020 presidential hopefuls Aug 25, 2019

John Merrill: America too interested in homosexual activities on TV

Merrill said that America is losing its moral core due to its preoccupation with "homosexual activities" and TV shows that focus on "how people are trying to date on TV." "There are no more good TV shows on like 'Gunsmoke,' 'Bonanza,' 'Andy Griffith,' 'I Love Lucy,'" Merrill said. "We don't have those shows anymore. We're too interested in homosexual activities." He said that America is obsessed with TV shows that lack biblical foundations and fail to promote a nuclear family.
Source: USA Today on 2020 Alabama Senate race Jul 16, 2019

Mike Espy: First black Mississippian in Congress since Reconstruction

Mike Espy, who in 1987 became the first black Mississippian elected to Congress since Reconstruction, called the [newly-opened Mississippi Civil Rights Museum] "an unvarnished portrayal of what happened years ago. Everyone should see it, regardless of race and age. Many will be impressed, but all will be affected."
Source: USA Today on 2018 MS Senate Special Election Dec 9, 2017

Rick Santorum: Homosexual orientation ok; but homosexual act are sodomy

Q: Should we outlaw homosexuality?

A: I have no problem with homosexuality. I have a problem with homosexual acts. As I would with other acts outside of traditional heterosexual relationships. And that includes a variety of different acts, not just homosexual. I have absolutely nothing against anyone who's homosexual. If that's their orientation, then I accept that. The question is, do you act upon that orientation? So it's not the person, it's the person's actions..

Q: So if somebody is homosexual, should they not have sex?

A: We have sodomy laws and they were there for a purpose. Because, I would argue, they undermine the basic tenets of our society and the family. And if the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything. Does that undermine the fabric of our society? I would argue yes, it does.

Source: Associated Press in USA Today: Santorum Interview Apr 23, 2003

George W. Bush: No gays in Boy Scouts

Bush disagrees with the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that said the Boy Scouts of America must accept gays in their organization. “I believe the Boy Scouts is a private organization and they should be able to set the standards that they choose to set,” Bush said
Source: USA Today, “Not taking GOP nomination for granted” Aug 19, 1999

  • The above quotations are from Columns and news articles in USA Today.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Civil Rights:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
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Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
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Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
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Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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