Statement of Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), regarding the appointment of Stephen Bannon as Chief White House Strategist by President-elect Donald J. Trump:
NEW YORK, NY – “As a community committed to working across borders and cultures to uphold the dignity and rights of the most persecuted and oppressed people in the world, we are gravely concerned by the appointment of Stephen Bannon as the Chief White House Strategist by President-elect Donald J. Trump. Bannon is a man who has a hard-earned reputation for dividing people along the lines of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity,” stated Robert Bank, the President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS).
“We are deeply committed to respecting the dignity of every person, and we believe that very value should guide leaders of every community and nation, including the United States. We are deeply concerned that appointing a person who has either ridiculed or demonized women, LGBT people, Muslims, Jews and others is an affront to the values we most cherish, and which we believe serve as the foundation of just societies and a diverse world community,” added Bank.
“We join with others to demand that the President-elect withdraw his appointment of Stephen Bannon. Retaining Bannon would be a tragic mistake that would send the wrong signal to the American people and our friends and neighbors around the world. The United States, the American people and the world community demand better.”
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