A reporter from African American culture magazine The Root has sparked some controversy with a video detailing President Donald Trump’s ‘most racist moments of 2017’.
Reporter Felice Leon appeared in a three-minute, 30-second video detailing the 45th president’s first year in office.
The piece, which forcefully argues that Trump is a racist, is captioned on Twitter: ‘Black women dwelleth in the house of receipts & they’ve got all the facts to further confirm that Donald Trump is racist.’
If he talks like a racist and tweets like a racist, odds are, he’s a racist.
Black women dwelleth in the house of receipts & they’ve got all the facts to further confirm that Donald Trump is racist. pic.twitter.com/YaX1x8NqdJ
— The Root (@TheRoot) December 29, 2017
Felice Leon, a reporter at The Root, appeared in a video detailing President Donald Trump’s ‘most racist moments of 2017’
The video ignited some controversy on Twitter. Trump is pictured at a rally for Alabama state Republican Senator Luther Strange in September 2017. At the rally, he criticized National Football League players who do not stand during the National Anthem
Leon begins her analysis of Trump’s year by revisiting his attempt a week after he took office in January to ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
Footage shows him uttering a quotation he told reporters when he signed the bill into action.
He said: ‘This is the protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States. We all know what that means.’
Analyzing the bill’s failure – it was blocked by multiple federal judges – the Washington Post noted that the latter sentence was used as evidence that Trump was really attempting to effect a general Muslim ban. Such a ban was one of his many promises on the campaign trail.
Leon began her analysis of Trump’s year with a discussion of his attempt to ban nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Pictured are activists during a protest against another proposed ban in October
Trump said when signing the original, failed bill in January: ‘This is the protection of the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States. We all know what that means.’ Pictured are activists against the ban
The Root noted, as other outlets at the time did, that Muslim-majority countries where Trump had business ties including Saudi Arabia and Egypt were not included in the ban
The video also brings up Trump’s feud with NFL players who do not stand during the National Anthem as a means of protesting police brutality against African Americans. Pictured center is Colin Kaepernick, who inaugurated the movement last season
Meanwhile, The Root noted, as other outlets at the time did, that Muslim-majority countries where Trump had business ties including Saudi Arabia and Egypt were not included in the ban.
Fast-forwarding to August, Leon analyzes the Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ rally in the face of the Virginia town’s decision to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee. Skirmishes between neo-Nazi and anti-fascist groups left three people dead and more than 30 injured.
Trump, in response, had spoken of ‘very fine people on both sides’ at a press conference about the situation.
Leon says: ‘Hold up. Did Trump pretty much just pardon members of the KKK and neo-Nazis?’
She then discusses his September feud with NFL players who chose to not stand for the national anthem as a protest against police brutality towards African Americans.
Up next is his October Twitter spat with Puerto Rico’s government officials, notably San Juan mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who criticized his administration’s response to Hurricane Maria.
She cited a tweet of his in which he alleged that the island territory’s public servants ‘want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort’.
Leon discussed Trump’s response to the Charlottesville, Virginia protests. Pictured in a now-famous photo is Peter Cvjetanovic along with other Neo Nazi, Alt-Right, and/or white supremacist protestors
Trump, in response to the incidents, had spoken of ‘very fine people on both sides’ at a press conference about the situation. Pictured are rescue workers moving victims on stretchers after a car plowed through a crowd of counter-demonstrators. One person died in the incident
Considering Trump’s reaction, Leon says: ‘Hold up. Did Trump pretty much just pardon members of the KKK and neo-Nazis?’ Trump is pictured making his remarks about Charlottesville
Leon then proceeds to a November speaking event at which Trump appeared to imitate Asian leaders in a manner that multiple observers decried as racist.
She also discusses an incident at which Trump, who was meant to honor Navajo Code Talker veterans, used the opportunity to call Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren – an outspoken critic of the president – ‘Pocahontas’.
The senator has been called ‘Pocahontas’ by Republican opponents because of her self-claimed – and unproven – Native American heritage.
Leon then cites Trump’s retweets of video’s from Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, and cites the Washington Post’s assessment that the organization is an ‘extremist group that targets mosques and Muslims’.
Her final point is a New York Times report that Trump said that ‘Haitians all have AIDS’ and that Nigerians live in huts.
The White House issued a statement after the publication of the Times report denying that Trump said these things.
Leon concludes with analyses of Trump’s pre-presidential track record of racism and concludes: ‘Trump’s racist behavior: It ain’t nothing new! If he talks like a racist and tweets like a racist, odds are he’s a racist.’
Leon also criticized Trump’s response to the damage Hurricane Maria wrought on Puerto Rico. He is pictured throwing paper towels to Puerto Ricans on October 3
Also used as evidence for Trump’s racism were his remarks at an event meant to honor Navajo Code Talker veterans. He made a jibe at Senator Elizabeth Warren, referring to her as ‘Pocahontas’
Leon then cites Trump’s retweets of video’s from Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, and cites the Washington Post’s assessment that the organization is an ‘extremist group that targets mosques and Muslims’
Also in the piece from The Root was a report that Trump said that ‘Haitians all have AIDS’ and that Nigerians live in huts.
The piece has ignited some controversy on Twitter, with supporters affirming Leon’s stance and detractors negating it.
Prince Trin wrote: ‘We all know he’s a racist look at his whole administration including the ones that were fired and resigned. Look at all the judges that he’s giving lifetime positions to. The whole Charlottesville incident gave me confirmation that he is a racist.’
Charaun said: ‘I’m adding “Black women dwelleth in the in the house of receipts” to my daily affirmations’
Opposed to the video, WARRIOR455 wrote: ‘The stupidity of this woman and this piece is astounding. Do you really take yourselves seriously?’
And Katherine wrote: ‘So you get your funding from #GeorgeSoros #DivideSeparateAndRule’
DailyMail.com could not independently verify that George Soros funds The Root in any capacity.
Tweeters were divided over the video from The Root. Prince Trin wrote: ‘We all know he’s a racist look at his whole administration including the ones that were fired and resigned. Look at all the judges that he’s giving lifetime positions to. The whole Charlottesville incident gave me confirmation that he is a racist.’ WARRIOR455 wrote: ‘The stupidity of this woman and this piece is astounding. Do you really take yourselves seriously?’