This week in OtherWords, we’re talking s—holes.
That’s what President Trump recently called El Salvador, Haiti, and much of Africa, according to people who attended a meeting where he complained about immigrants from those places.
Our cartoonist, Khalil Bendib, couldn’t help noticing those remarks came right before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and he cartooned accordingly. (If you need, we’ve got a clean version of that one on our website.)
And columnist Jill Richardson argues that while there are plenty of bad governments in the world (perhaps including our own), there are no s—hole countries. Human nature is the same everywhere you go.
It’s impossible to miss the ideology behind the crude remark: The president doesn’t want immigrants from poor, nonwhite countries. Victims of this attitude include the Dreamers, young people raised in the United States whose parents brought them here as young, undocumented immigrants.
The administration is trying to remove deportation protections for these 800,000 young people. Mitchell Zimmerman, who’s represented some of them, argues that this amounts to “enshrining cruelty as national policy.” It punishes people for doing exactly what anyone would’ve done in their situation.
Also this week, Jessicah Pierre says it’s not Oprah’s job to clean up Trump’s mess, but hundreds of lesser known black women might be the right people for the job. And Jim Hightower explains why you shouldn’t give a corporation a key to your house.
Khalil Bendib / OtherWords.org
- Trump’s Gift for the Unemployed: Kicking Them Off Health Care / LeeAnn Hall
Imagine telling a laid off employee they won’t have Medicaid to fall back on. - America, Oprah is Not Your Savior / Jessicah Pierre
America has a history of looking to black women to save Americans from themselves — while not recognizing or respecting their efforts. - Law, Order, and the Dreamers / Mitchell Zimmerman
The 800,000 young people brought here as undocumented children deserve to be treated as more than political pawns. - There Are No S—hole Countries / Jill Richardson
Some countries have bad governments. Humans are the same everywhere you go. - This CEO Wants a Key to Your House / Jim Hightower
Jeff Bezos expects you to pay for the privilege of letting Amazon employees enter your home when you’re not there. - Were You Born in a S—hole Country? / Khalil Bendib
