Originally published by The New York Times
Re “Deceit and Confusion in Talk on Law and Order” (Fact Check, Dec. 16): Addressing elite F.B.I. National Academy graduates last week, President Trump utterly mischaracterized the diversity immigration visa program and described people who use it to immigrate legally to our country as “the worst of the worst.”
As experts on hateful speech, we know that such words matter. Tarring whole groups of people as terrible and threatening is dangerous rhetoric that is all too familiar from societies where it has been a precursor to violence.
In addition, the president is now attacking legal immigrants with the sort of vitriol he previously aimed at the undocumented. He is training Americans to fear and despise other people simply because they are “them” and not “us.”
Language that can inspire violent hatred is all the more disturbing in a speech to local law enforcement officers who serve across the country. We must call it out for what it is.
SUSAN BENESCH
BRITTAN HELLER
Ms. Benesch is executive director of the Dangerous Speech Project. Ms. Heller is the director of the Center for Technology and Society, Anti-Defamation League.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/opinion/trump-legal-immigrants.html?mtrref=query.nytimes.com&assetType=opinion
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