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Politicians in the Black Virginia state protested Donald Trump's "racist and xenophobic" rhetoric by boycotting Tuesday a ceremony commemorating the early days of American democracy because of the president.
The Virginia Black Legislative Black Caucus announced Monday that its members would not participate in the event to be held in historic Jamestown, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the first representative badembly in the United States. Western Hemisphere.
The boycott comes after Trump weekend's comments that Baltimore District of Baltimore, a largely black region, made up of US officials Elijah Cummings, would be a "disgusting clutter, infested with rats and rodents ".
The caucus statement did not specifically mention Cummings, but stated that "Trump's repeated attacks on black legislators and his comments on black communities made him unsuitable to honor and commemorate such a monumental period of history."
Earlier this month, the president made racist remarks several times against four women of color members of Congress.
In a series of tweets, Trump asked US representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib to "come back" to their original place. All four are US citizens and all but Omar are born in the United States.
Virginia Black Legislative Caucus Chairman Lamont Bagby said the group had unanimously decided to boycott more than a week ago.
But he said the president had "continued his attacks" ever since and his remarks about Cummings District were more or less the same.
[Press Release] Virginia black legislative caucus boycotts president's visit pic.twitter.com/LUGVK8cTes
– Lamont Bagby (@delegatebagby) July 29, 2019
The convening of a legislature in 1619 formed the basis of the current system of representative government in the United States.
The Virginia General Assembly is considered to be the oldest legislative body operating in North America.
"The commemoration of the birth of this nation and its democracy will be unduly tarnished with the participation of the President, who continues to make degrading comments to minority leaders, to enact policies that harm marginalized and marginalized communities. to use racist and xenophobic rhetoric, "said the caucus. said in a statement.
Legislators organized an alternative event during which they laid a wreath in honor of the dead black politicians.
Politicians also plan to hold a ceremony at Lumpkin's Slave Prison in Richmond, where slaves were jailed and sold.
Trump joined national leaders and states and dignitaries at Tuesday's event, a commemorative session of the Virginia General Assembly, during which Trump is due to deliver a speech.
Trump claims
Trump said Tuesday that lawmakers who boycotted his appearance are going "against their own people," baderting without evidence that African Americans "love the work" that he does.
But African Americans continue to be extremely negative in their evaluations of the president's performance. According to Gallup polls, approval among African Americans would have hovered around one in ten throughout the Trump presidency, with an 8% approval in June.
Caucus members also announced that they would boycott the rest of a series of events that would mark the 400th anniversary of the week. They instead planned to hold other commemorations Tuesday in Richmond, Virginia's capital.
When the Richmond Times-Dispatch announced for the first time earlier this month that Trump would participate in the event, leading Democratic politicians said they would not participate in the evening.
Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment said at the time that their decision was "disappointing and embarrbading".
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has also resigned from a planning committee in protest.
Tuesday's events are only one part of a one-year commemoration called American Evolution intended to honor key milestones in the state's colonial history.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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