Philadelphia City Council may formally condemn Donald Trump

A resolution introduced at City Council Thursday seeks for a formal condemnation of Republican front-runner Donald Trump’s campaign for president.

“As the birthplace of American democracy, it is incumbent upon the city of Philadelphia to declare that the politics of division are unacceptable and to stand up for the values of inclusion and equality,” saidCouncilwoman-at-LargeHelenGym, who introduced the resolution, in a statement.

As Trump prepares to face off against Democrat Hillary Clinton, he has continued to face intense criticism from most major media outlets — most recently over his comments about the Mexican-American judge handling a lawsuit against Trump University.

The resolution, if passed, will state that Philly “hereby condemns the racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-American values that have been espoused by Donald Trump during his bid for the United States Presidency, which are at odds with the deeply-held values of the City of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection..”

The resolution will return to Council for a vote on final passage on June 16.

Read the entire resolution, a powerful litany of Trump’s most-decried moments and comments, below:

A Resolution

Condemning the racist, sexist, xenophobic, and anti-American values that have been espoused by Donald Trump during his bid for the United States Presidency, which are at odds with the deeply-held values of the City of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly
Affection.

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has demonized people of color, characterizing Mexicans as criminals, drug dealers, and rapists; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has attacked Islam and Judaism by calling for a ban on Muslims entering this country and perpetuating stereotypes against Jews; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has demeaned women, at one point describing pregnancy as “an inconvenience for a business” and at other points vilifying women’s bodies on national television; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has defended calling a female lawyer “disgusting” when she sought an opportunity to be excused in order to pump breast milk in the course of a deposition she took of him; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has disrespected our servicemen and women, as well as veterans, by diminishing Senator John McCain’s service and sacrifices, labeling the former prisoner of war a “loser” and saying “I like people who weren’t captured”; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has shown contempt for people who live with disabilities by publicly mocking a reporter and operating several businesses that have been in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has engaged in predatory business practices that have swindled vulnerable Americans, including the poor and elderly, through the now-defunct Trump University; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has advanced xenophobic foreign policies by stoking an irrational fear of immigrants and proposing to build a wall that would divide our country from Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has engaged in racist persecution of a sitting federal judge, repeatedly suggesting that a person’s racial or ethnic heritage compromises his or her

professional impartiality, and expressing contempt for the rule of law and separation of powers; and

WHEREAS, Donald Trump has escalated the level of vitriol in American political culture by inciting violence against his opponents and dissenters at presidential campaign rallies, often seemingly based on race; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia prides itself on being a Sanctuary City that welcomes immigrants and celebrates their contributions–regardless of their legal status; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia in its Fair Practices Ordinance has established wide-ranging legal protections against discrimination based on age, ancestry, breastfeeding, color, disability, domestic and sexual violence, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, familial status, marital status, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth or related medical condition, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation; and

WHEREAS, America was built by immigrants and Philadelphia as the birthplace of American democracy, believes that all of its residents are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Philadelphia that it hereby condemns the racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-American values that have been espoused by Donald Trump during his bid for the United States Presidency, which are at odds with the deeply-held values of the City of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

Helen Gym Councilwoman At Large

Bobby Henon Councilman 6th District

Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez

Councilwoman 7th District

Kenyatta Johnson Councilman 2nd District

Curtis Jones Jr. Councilman 4th District

Derek Green Councilman At Large

June 9, 2016