If Trump won’t fight white supremacist terrorists, these people will

OPINION — “We Support our Muslim Brothers and Sisters.” “Love Will Win, Hate Will Lose.” “Terrorism Has No Religion.” The Charlotte, North Carolina, Muslim community invited all to join in a United for Christchurch, New Zealand, vigil in an uptown park on Sunday afternoon, and encouraged those who came to mourn and stand in solidarity to bring posters with supportive messages.

They did.

People of all races, ages and faiths — several hundred of them — listened to remarks of healing and hope and pleas for understanding from local imams. “Good people of this country, this world, stand with us,” said Sheikh Muhammad Khan of the Islamic Center of Charlotte. All bowed their heads in prayer.

That is America, where domestic terrorist attacks, propelled by white supremacy, are on the rise, where leaders nonetheless ignore the national and global reach of this toxic movement. Unbelievably, shooting up places of worship is now a separate and growing category, from a Sikh temple in Wisconsin to a Christian church in Charleston, South Carolina, to a synagogue in Pittsburgh to mosques in New Zealand — and that doesn’t include all that would qualify.

Fighting Global White Supremacist Terrorism

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Charlotte, N.C., Muslim community invited all to join in a United for Christchurch, New Zealand, vigil in an uptown park on Sunday afternoon, and encouraged those who came to mourn and stand in solidarity to bring posters with supportive messages. They did.

People of all races, ages and faiths – several hundred of them – listened to remarks of healing and hope and pleas for understanding, and bowed heads in prayer.

Since the horrific shooting in New Zealand, attention is being paid to the global threat of white nationalism, and how those with these ideas are becoming united through social media. This killer broadcast his crimes in real time.

Opinion: The Terror Within — Those Who See Danger in Diversity

It was a stirring message of unity. On Monday, 16 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on American soil that saw planes flown into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and brave passengers divert one into a Pennsylvania field, President Donald Trump honored the memories of the dead and the heroics woven through the actions of so many.

At a 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Pentagon, Trump recalled that moment: “On that day, not only did the world change, but we all changed. Our eyes were opened to the depths of the evil we face. But in that hour of darkness, we also came together with renewed purpose. Our differences never looked so small, our common bonds never felt so strong.”

President’s Trump’s Foreign Trip Amid Terror in UK, Russian Probe

President Trump met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday. While it is unclear what the two specifically spoke about during their 30 minute chat, the Vatican, in a statement, said the two discussed promoting world peace and protecting Christians in the Middle East.

While on his first foreign tour in office, President Trump is also confronting the worst terror attack carried out in Britain in 12 years. A memorial is growing to remember the 22 people killed and dozens injured during Monday night’s attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.  Trump condemned the tragedy, calling those behind the attack “evil losers.”

Back home, the Trump Administration is also dealing with new developments in the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

WCCB’s Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis weighs in on the issues overseas, and back home in the U.S.

Weighing In on How the Orlando Shootings Are Shaping Campaign 2016


CHARLOTTE, NC — Presidential hopefuls are starting to weigh in following the deadliest mass killing on U.S. soil since 9/11. Mary C. Curtis weighs in on how the Orlando shooting is shaping the current political landscape and impacting the race for the White House.

‘Calm’ May Not Fit Country’s Mood, but It’s Obama’s Only Choice

Sometimes, even when I suspect that he knows it will hurt him, President Barack Obama does not follow the script. The evening of the day when terrorists struck in Belgium, the president and his family attended a Major League Baseball exhibition game in Cuba. Why didn’t he rush back to Washington, D.C., or to Belgium to show solidarity with our European allies? “The whole premise of terrorism is to try to disrupt people’s ordinary lives,” he told ESPN during the game.

Agree or disagree with the choice—and Republican critics didn’t hesitate to strongly disapprove—Obama showed the calm that has characterized his presidency but that may be out of step with Americans’ fear of terrorism reaching our shores again. (At least, that what’s GOP presidential candidates and their supporters are hoping.)

When Obama was running for president in 2008, however, calm was one of the few emotions allowed in his public persona. If he had introduced himself in red-faced, hair-on-fire mode (think the current Republican front-runner), his campaign would have ended before it began.