In Washington, D.C. an attempt at community outreach by a church led to disgusting vandalism by Trump supporters. The Episcopal Church of Our Savior in Silver Spring, Marland announced it was offering Spanish language services and someone took offense. On Sunday, parishioners arrived at the church to find a banner that read, “Trump nation, Whites only.” The words were also written on an exterior wall of the church. Shocked church members took down the banner and replaced it with another one that reads “Love Wins.”
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington said in a statement:
“The President-elect and those who voted for him (must) separate themselves from acts of violence and hate that are being perpetrated in his name. We believe that the majority of Americans want a nation of peace and of unity across a spectrum of our glorious people, and we do not want our friends of color and our immigrants and other people who feel vulnerable to imagine that this is who we are as a nation”. The Montgomery County Police Department are investigating the vandalism as a hate crime.
The team of Presidential-elect Trump declined to comment on the incident and referred media to his recent comments during a 60 Minutes interview. During the interview Trump told his supporters who are engaging in hate attacks to “Stop It. I would say don’t do it, that’s terrible, because I’m going to bring this country together.”
Budde held a press conference where she expressed solidarity with those who are opposing Trump’s racist rhetoric. She stated ” Do not stoop to this kind of violence. We are better than this as a country, and we will overcome hatred with love, with peace and with justice.”
