US: Sisters of Mercy condemn President Trump's racist remarks

The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas issued the following statement yesterday:

The Sisters of Mercy find it appalling that President Trump in meetings with legislators on January 11 apparently used vulgar and offensive language to describe Haiti, El Salvador and countries in Africa. We find the sentiment behind the comments even more troubling and agree with the spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Commission who in his condemnation noted that the language is consistent with the racist decision making and attitude that has been expressed by this Administration over the past year.

Sisters of Mercy are present in many of the countries President Trump categorized as "s***holes." We welcome immigrants and refugees from these countries in our schools, churches, healthcare institutions and other ministries. We take offense to this description of these lands and of their thoughtful, loving and passionate people. No home of our brothers and sisters, not coincidentally here our brothers and sisters of colour, should be dismissed in this manner by the leader of our country.

We, as the Sisters of Mercy, have recently condemned decisions to end Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador and Haiti; advocated against the ban on refugees from predominately Muslim countries and spoken out against the white supremacy on ugly display in Charlottesville. We are deeply concerned for how decisions made by this Administration continue to foster a racist and isolated society. Our faith and the guiding principles of our country call us to the opposite. We will continue to actively work against this sentiment in our advocacy, our ministries, our accompaniment and in our forming of young women in Mercy, and we look forward to the day when our country's leadership will reflect that as well.

For more information about the Sisters of Mercy, see: www.sistersofmercy.org/about-us/news-and-events/sisters-of-mercy-condemn-president-trumps-racist-remarks/?t=news