Jewish leaders demand Trump denounce white nationalism or 'you are not welcome in Pittsburgh'
A group of Jewish leaders in Pittsburgh wrote an open letter to the president
In the wake of Saturday's mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, a local rabbi said it's "reasonable" for people in the city to feel wary of a visit from U.S. President Donald Trump.
"It does not seem that he is wanted in our city," said Rabbi Keren Gorban of Temple Sinai, which is near the Tree of Life synagogue where 11 people were shot to death in a rampage.
"I think that's also something reasonable, given that … it's part of his government and the people that he supports who sow that nationalism, and hate," she told The Current's guest host Laura Lynch.
On Saturday, a heavily armed man burst through the doors of the Tree of Life synagogue, opening fire and killing 11 people in a 20-minute rampage. The alleged gunman, Robert Bowers, 46, was taken into custody and is due to appear in court Monday. During his arrest, he said that he wanted "all Jews to die," according to police.
Speaking at a rally in Murphysboro, Ill., Saturday, Trump said the "evil Anti-Semitic attack is an assault on all of us, it's an assault on humanity." Before the rally he told reporters he would travel to Pittsburgh, but an itinerary has not been released.
...This evil Anti-Semitic attack is an assault on humanity. It will take all of us working together to extract the poison of Anti-Semitism from our world. We must unite to conquer hate.
—@realDonaldTrumpIn response, a group of Pittsburgh's Jewish leaders wrote an open letter to the president, saying he was "not welcome in Pittsburgh until you fully denounce white nationalism." The letter was penned by 11 members of the Pittsburgh affiliate of Bend the Arc, a Jewish group that promotes social justice.
"Our Jewish community is not the only group you have targeted. You have also deliberately undermined the safety of people of color, Muslims, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities," the letter said. "[Saturday's] massacre is not the first act of terror you incited against a minority group in our country."
The president was previously criticized after failing to condemn violence at a 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.
After it was published Sunday, the letter received more than 16,000 signatures.
David Shribman, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, said that this is not the moment for politics.
"It's a moment for reflection," he told Lynch, adding that there will be more vigils and funerals to come.
"Next week, there'll be voting. I prefer to leave the politics to next week and make this a week of reflection."
Listen to the full conversation at the top of this page.
Produced by Idella Sturino and Pacinthe Mattar.