Latest news with #PeopleFortheAmericanWay
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - This Memorial Day, love America enough to fight for it
Memorial Day is the first of the summer's patriotic holidays. That makes it a good time to think about patriotism and what love of country requires of us today. As we honor the people who have died while serving in the U.S. military, let's also consider how we can honor the American promise for which they sacrificed. This year, I've been thinking about two people who taught me different ways of looking at and loving our country. One is Norman Lear, the legendary television producer, energetic activist and founder of my organization, People For the American Way. Lear dropped out of college after the attack on Pearl Harbor to join the Army Air Force, and flew more than 50 missions on a bomber crew to liberate Europe from fascism. He was a lifelong patriot and a lover of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Lear was, up to his final breath, a dogged optimist that people working together could move us closer to the ideals in those documents, even if he was, like many of us, discouraged at times when our progress was threatened. On his 100th birthday, he wrote, 'I am a flag-waving believer in truth, justice and the American way, and I don't understand how so many people who call themselves patriots can support efforts to undermine our democracy and our Constitution.' I second that emotion. The second person I'm thinking about is James Baldwin, the brilliant social critic and one of my favorite authors. My mother introduced me to Baldwin's writings when I was young as a way of helping me understand what it meant to be a Black man in America. Baldwin also helped me understand what it means to be American. 'I love America more than any other country in the world,' Baldwin wrote in 1955, 'and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.' Baldwin and Lear are no longer with us, but there are many brilliant and loving critics who are raising their voices today to defend the Constitution and American ideals. I am proud to align myself with them. Of the many lies perpetuated by President Trump and his allies, one of the most untrue and malicious is that liberals, Democrats, or whoever is their target of the moment, 'hate America.' You can see and hear that false charge everywhere — on social media, from MAGA commentators and publications, right-wing pollsters and even Elon Musk and members of Congress. Even members of the military aren't safe from being smeared. The patriotism of high-ranking officers is denigrated. The libraries at our esteemed military academies are subject to an ideological purge. Meanwhile, Trump's recent speech to troops stationed in Qatar was wildly self-aggrandizing and inappropriately partisan. One of the most ridiculous examples I've seen was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) charging that Democrats hate America because they weren't enthusiastic about her effort to enshrine in legislation the president's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico. On what grounds do they make the claim that people who have devoted their lives to service as elected officials, teachers and community activists supposedly hate this country? It's pure propaganda. It's offensive. And it's damaging to our political culture. In fact, all it takes to get smeared by MAGA is criticizing Trump or part of his political agenda. Defending the rights of immigrants to due process. Opposing the reckless destruction of the Department of Government Efficiency's mindless mass firings of scientists, park rangers and other public servants. Supporting the separation of church and state to protect all Americans' religious freedom. To my mind, people taking time to do any of those things is a sign that they love our country enough to fight for what is best about it. Insisting that Trump is required to follow the law and abide by the Constitution is patriotic. As the president prepares to make himself the centerpiece of this year's military parade and next year's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, remember this: America was founded in resistance to the tyranny of a king. Resisting Trump's efforts to act like a mad and unaccountable king is a profoundly patriotic act. Svante Myrick is president of People For the American Way. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
This Memorial Day, love America enough to fight for it
Memorial Day is the first of the summer's patriotic holidays. That makes it a good time to think about patriotism and what love of country requires of us today. As we honor the people who have died while serving in the U.S. military, let's also consider how we can honor the American promise for which they sacrificed. This year, I've been thinking about two people who taught me different ways of looking at and loving our country. One is Norman Lear, the legendary television producer, energetic activist and founder of my organization, People For the American Way. Lear dropped out of college after the attack on Pearl Harbor to join the Army Air Force, and flew more than 50 missions on a bomber crew to liberate Europe from fascism. He was a lifelong patriot and a lover of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Lear was, up to his final breath, a dogged optimist that people working together could move us closer to the ideals in those documents, even if he was, like many of us, discouraged at times when our progress was threatened. On his 100th birthday, he wrote, 'I am a flag-waving believer in truth, justice and the American way, and I don't understand how so many people who call themselves patriots can support efforts to undermine our democracy and our Constitution.' I second that emotion. The second person I'm thinking about is James Baldwin, the brilliant social critic and one of my favorite authors. My mother introduced me to Baldwin's writings when I was young as a way of helping me understand what it meant to be a Black man in America. Baldwin also helped me understand what it means to be American. 'I love America more than any other country in the world,' Baldwin wrote in 1955, 'and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.' Baldwin and Lear are no longer with us, but there are many brilliant and loving critics who are raising their voices today to defend the Constitution and American ideals. I am proud to align myself with them. Of the many lies perpetuated by President Trump and his allies, one of the most untrue and malicious is that liberals, Democrats, or whoever is their target of the moment, 'hate America.' You can see and hear that false charge everywhere — on social media, from MAGA commentators and publications, right-wing pollsters and even Elon Musk and members of Congress. Even members of the military aren't safe from being smeared. The patriotism of high-ranking officers is denigrated. The libraries at our esteemed military academies are subject to an ideological purge. Meanwhile, Trump's recent speech to troops stationed in Qatar was wildly self-aggrandizing and inappropriately partisan. One of the most ridiculous examples I've seen was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) charging that Democrats hate America because they weren't enthusiastic about her effort to enshrine in legislation the president's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico. On what grounds do they make the claim that people who have devoted their lives to service as elected officials, teachers and community activists supposedly hate this country? It's pure propaganda. It's offensive. And it's damaging to our political culture. In fact, all it takes to get smeared by MAGA is criticizing Trump or part of his political agenda. Defending the rights of immigrants to due process. Opposing the reckless destruction of the Department of Government Efficiency's mindless mass firings of scientists, park rangers and other public servants. Supporting the separation of church and state to protect all Americans' religious freedom. To my mind, people taking time to do any of those things is a sign that they love our country enough to fight for what is best about it. Insisting that Trump is required to follow the law and abide by the Constitution is patriotic. As the president prepares to make himself the centerpiece of this year's military parade and next year's celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, remember this: America was founded in resistance to the tyranny of a king. Resisting Trump's efforts to act like a mad and unaccountable king is a profoundly patriotic act. Svante Myrick is president of People For the American Way.
Japan Today
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Laura Loomer swipes at Trump from the heart of MAGA
FILE PHOTO: Laura Loomer arrives ahead of former U.S. President Donald Trump's debate with Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 10, 2024. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo By James Oliphant Laura Loomer once had to chain herself to a building to get attention. Not any longer. A far-right activist who has jockeyed her way up from online agitator to self-appointed presidential adviser, Loomer has long been one of President Donald Trump's most fervent supporters. She has recently found herself at odds with the White House, however, clashing with the administration over both policy and personnel choices that she views as counter to the MAGA movement. In the past few weeks, Loomer has criticized the new pope, mounted a campaign against Trump's pick for surgeon general, Casey Means, blasted his attorney general, Pam Bondi, and noisily objected to Trump's diplomatic efforts during his Middle East trip. If Loomer were just another online rabble-rouser, the friction likely would not matter. But with 1.6 million followers on X and her own weekly program that draws thousands of viewers, Loomer can claim she speaks for the MAGA faithful and, in turn, influence how they view the performance of the president and his administration. Loomer has said it's her job to keep Trump on track. She has flitted in and out of the president's inner circle and has claimed to be responsible for the firings of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and other aides. "What makes her more dangerous than other people is that she clearly seems to have Trump's ear,' said Peter Montgomery, who tracks conservative movements for the liberal advocacy group People For the American Way. Loomer did not respond to requests for comment for this story, but made clear how she views her role during her online video show earlier this month. 'I'm not working for President Trump. I'm not getting paid by President Trump. I'm not in the Trump White House,' Loomer said during her show. 'I wasn't even on the Trump campaign. And yet, I feel like very single day, it's a full-time job just to make sure the president is protected and that he's receiving the information he needs to receive.' WHITE HOUSE INFLUENCER? Loomer met last month with Trump at the White House, after which Trump immediately fired several national security officials Loomer claimed were disloyal. Trump later denied that Loomer was the reason. A short time later, Waltz himself was fired, something Loomer also claimed she engineered. But the White House says that Loomer is not a presidential adviser, unofficial or otherwise. She has no pass to enter the complex, said a White House official, and there are no further meetings planned with her. A self-proclaimed 'Islamophobe' who for years argued that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were an inside job, Loomer has a history of provocative and self-promotional actions including handcuffing herself to Twitter's headquarters in New York in 2018 after the platform banned her for hate speech. Other Trump supporters such as U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have denounced her remarks as "racist, "hateful" and unrepresentative of the MAGA movement. Last September during the presidential campaign, Loomer traveled on Trump's plane to his debate with opponent Kamala Harris and then was by his side when he commemorated the 9/11 attacks in New York, sparking outrage among critics and concern within the campaign. Earlier, she had said the 'White House would smell like curry' if Harris, who is of Indian heritage, were elected. AT ODDS Trump then called her a 'strong person' and a 'free spirit.' But Loomer has become increasingly critical of Trump's administration, if not the president himself. She sparred online with top Trump adviser Elon Musk over skilled workforce visas. She has repeatedly argued that the administration's hires are being improperly vetted. When Trump praised the new pope, Leo XIV, Loomer blasted the pontiff as 'anti-MAGA' and a Marxist. She expressed dismay last week when Trump announced he was lifting economic sanctions on Syria, and when he struck an investment deal with Qatar, which she accuses of funding pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the United States. Qatar is a longtime backer of Hamas, but there is no direct evidence tying it to funding the protests. Loomer was scornful of the possibility Trump might accept a luxury 747 from the Qatari government. 'I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him,' Loomer wrote on X. 'We cannot accept a $400 million `gift' from jihadists in suits.' Trump has said the plane would be given to the country, not him. She has continued to hammer Bondi for what she says is a failure to clean up the Justice Department. On Monday, she appeared on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon's show and claimed that she has known that former President Joe Biden was terminally ill for a year. Biden's office announced on Sunday that he has advanced prostate cancer. Bannon, who also views himself as the conscience of the MAGA base, called her 'a warrior in the information war.' But the White House's biggest headache may be Loomer's crusade to derail the nomination of Casey Means as Trump's surgeon general. In numerous posts, Loomer has argued that Means, a wellness expert who graduated from medical school but lacks a license to practice medicine, is unqualified. 'I want to know which one of President Trump's geniuses chose a woman who literally talks to trees and spiritual mediums,' Loomer posted on X the day Means was nominated. Trump has defended the choice. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Why MAGA Activist Laura Loomer Has Found Herself At Odds With Donald Trump
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and Trump supporter, has become critical of the administration, clashing over policies and personnel. With 1.6M followers, she claims to influence MAGA views, despite the White House denying her advisory role. Washington: Laura Loomer once had to chain herself to a building to get attention. Not any longer. A far-right activist who has jockeyed her way up from online agitator to self-appointed presidential adviser, Loomer has long been one of President Donald Trump's most fervent supporters. She has recently found herself at odds with the White House, however, clashing with the administration over both policy and personnel choices that she views as counter to the MAGA movement. In the past few weeks, Loomer has criticized the new pope, mounted a campaign against Trump's pick for surgeon general, Casey Means, blasted his attorney general, Pam Bondi, and noisily objected to Trump's diplomatic efforts during his Middle East trip. If Loomer were just another online rabble-rouser, the friction likely would not matter. But with 1.6 million followers on X and her own weekly program that draws thousands of viewers, Loomer can claim she speaks for the MAGA faithful and, in turn, influence how they view the performance of the president and his administration. Loomer has said it's her job to keep Trump on track. She has flitted in and out of the president's inner circle and has claimed to be responsible for the firings of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and other aides. "What makes her more dangerous than other people is that she clearly seems to have Trump's ear,' said Peter Montgomery, who tracks conservative movements for the liberal advocacy group People For the American Way. Loomer did not respond to requests for comment for this story, but made clear how she views her role during her online video show earlier this month. 'I'm not working for President Trump. I'm not getting paid by President Trump. I'm not in the Trump White House,' Loomer said during her show. 'I wasn't even on the Trump campaign. And yet, I feel like very single day, it's a full-time job just to make sure the president is protected and that he's receiving the information he needs to receive.' WHITE HOUSE INFLUENCER? Loomer met last month with Trump at the White House, after which Trump immediately fired several national security officials Loomer claimed were disloyal. Trump later denied that Loomer was the reason. A short time later, Waltz himself was fired, something Loomer also claimed she engineered. But the White House says that Loomer is not a presidential adviser, unofficial or otherwise. She has no pass to enter the complex, said a White House official, and there are no further meetings planned with her. A self-proclaimed 'Islamophobe' who for years argued that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were an inside job, Loomer has a history of provocative and self-promotional actions including handcuffing herself to Twitter's headquarters in New York in 2018 after the platform banned her for hate speech. Other Trump supporters such as U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have denounced her remarks as "racist, "hateful" and unrepresentative of the MAGA movement. Last September during the presidential campaign, Loomer traveled on Trump's plane to his debate with opponent Kamala Harris and then was by his side when he commemorated the 9/11 attacks in New York, sparking outrage among critics and concern within the campaign. Earlier, she had said the 'White House would smell like curry' if Harris, who is of Indian heritage, were elected. AT ODDS Trump then called her a 'strong person' and a 'free spirit.' But Loomer has become increasingly critical of Trump's administration, if not the president himself. She sparred online with top Trump adviser Elon Musk over skilled workforce visas. She has repeatedly argued that the administration's hires are being improperly vetted. When Trump praised the new pope, Leo XIV, Loomer blasted the pontiff as 'anti-MAGA' and a Marxist. She expressed dismay last week when Trump announced he was lifting economic sanctions on Syria, and when he struck an investment deal with Qatar, which she accuses of funding pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the United States. Qatar is a longtime backer of Hamas, but there is no direct evidence tying it to funding the protests. Loomer was scornful of the possibility Trump might accept a luxury 747 from the Qatari government. 'I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him,' Loomer wrote on X. 'We cannot accept a $400 million `gift' from jihadists in suits.' Trump has said the plane would be given to the country, not him. She has continued to hammer Bondi for what she says is a failure to clean up the Justice Department. On Monday, she appeared on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon's show and claimed that she has known that former President Joe Biden was terminally ill for a year. Biden's office announced on Sunday that he has advanced prostate cancer. Bannon, who also views himself as the conscience of the MAGA base, called her 'a warrior in the information war.' But the White House's biggest headache may be Loomer's crusade to derail the nomination of Casey Means as Trump's surgeon general. In numerous posts, Loomer has argued that Means, a wellness expert who graduated from medical school but lacks a license to practice medicine, is unqualified. 'I want to know which one of President Trump's geniuses chose a woman who literally talks to trees and spiritual mediums,' Loomer posted on X the day Means was nominated. Trump has defended the choice. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Laura Loomer swipes at Trump from the heart of MAGA
By James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Laura Loomer once had to chain herself to a building to get attention. Not any longer. A far-right activist who has jockeyed her way up from online agitator to self-appointed presidential adviser, Loomer has long been one of President Donald Trump's most fervent supporters. She has recently found herself at odds with the White House, however, clashing with the administration over both policy and personnel choices that she views as counter to the MAGA movement. In the past few weeks, Loomer has criticized the new pope, mounted a campaign against Trump's pick for surgeon general, Casey Means, blasted his attorney general, Pam Bondi, and noisily objected to Trump's diplomatic efforts during his Middle East trip. If Loomer were just another online rabble-rouser, the friction likely would not matter. But with 1.6 million followers on X and her own weekly program that draws thousands of viewers, Loomer can claim she speaks for the MAGA faithful and, in turn, influence how they view the performance of the president and his administration. Loomer has said it's her job to keep Trump on track. She has flitted in and out of the president's inner circle and has claimed to be responsible for the firings of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and other aides. "What makes her more dangerous than other people is that she clearly seems to have Trump's ear,' said Peter Montgomery, who tracks conservative movements for the liberal advocacy group People For the American Way. Loomer did not respond to requests for comment for this story, but made clear how she views her role during her online video show earlier this month. 'I'm not working for President Trump. I'm not getting paid by President Trump. I'm not in the Trump White House,' Loomer said during her show. 'I wasn't even on the Trump campaign. And yet, I feel like very single day, it's a full-time job just to make sure the president is protected and that he's receiving the information he needs to receive.' WHITE HOUSE INFLUENCER? Loomer met last month with Trump at the White House, after which Trump immediately fired several national security officials Loomer claimed were disloyal. Trump later denied that Loomer was the reason. A short time later, Waltz himself was fired, something Loomer also claimed she engineered. But the White House says that Loomer is not a presidential adviser, unofficial or otherwise. She has no pass to enter the complex, said a White House official, and there are no further meetings planned with her. A self-proclaimed 'Islamophobe' who for years argued that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were an inside job, Loomer has a history of provocative and self-promotional actions including handcuffing herself to Twitter's headquarters in New York in 2018 after the platform banned her for hate speech. Other Trump supporters such as U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have denounced her remarks as "racist, "hateful" and unrepresentative of the MAGA movement. Last September during the presidential campaign, Loomer traveled on Trump's plane to his debate with opponent Kamala Harris and then was by his side when he commemorated the 9/11 attacks in New York, sparking outrage among critics and concern within the campaign. Earlier, she had said the 'White House would smell like curry' if Harris, who is of Indian heritage, were elected. AT ODDS Trump then called her a 'strong person' and a 'free spirit.' But Loomer has become increasingly critical of Trump's administration, if not the president himself. She sparred online with top Trump adviser Elon Musk over skilled workforce visas. She has repeatedly argued that the administration's hires are being improperly vetted. When Trump praised the new pope, Leo XIV, Loomer blasted the pontiff as 'anti-MAGA' and a Marxist. She expressed dismay last week when Trump announced he was lifting economic sanctions on Syria, and when he struck an investment deal with Qatar, which she accuses of funding pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the United States. Qatar is a longtime backer of Hamas, but there is no direct evidence tying it to funding the protests. Loomer was scornful of the possibility Trump might accept a luxury 747 from the Qatari government. 'I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him,' Loomer wrote on X. 'We cannot accept a $400 million `gift' from jihadists in suits.' Trump has said the plane would be given to the country, not him. She has continued to hammer Bondi for what she says is a failure to clean up the Justice Department. On Monday, she appeared on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon's show and claimed that she has known that former President Joe Biden was terminally ill for a year. Biden's office announced on Sunday that he has advanced prostate cancer. Bannon, who also views himself as the conscience of the MAGA base, called her 'a warrior in the information war.' But the White House's biggest headache may be Loomer's crusade to derail the nomination of Casey Means as Trump's surgeon general. In numerous posts, Loomer has argued that Means, a wellness expert who graduated from medical school but lacks a license to practice medicine, is unqualified. 'I want to know which one of President Trump's geniuses chose a woman who literally talks to trees and spiritual mediums,' Loomer posted on X the day Means was nominated. Trump has defended the choice.
