Credit: Erich Martin/NewtownPANow.com
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks on the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, a regular group of demonstrators gathered outside of Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick’s office Friday evening.
The theme of the gathering, which has happened for the past 23 weeks, was to discuss Fitzpatrick’s response to Trump while urging him to sign on to the Jayapal Resolution, which has gained traction in many Democratic circles as it calls on Trump to “terminate from employment… and prohibit the hiring of individuals in the White House or the Trump Administration who have supported or encouraged support for White supremacists.”
Kierstyn Zolfo , who co-hosted the event in the absence of regular host Steve Cickay, read aloud Fitzpatrick’s tweet response to Trump comments that “many sides” were to blame for the violence that ended up claiming a life in Charlottesville last weekend.
Fitzpatrick said:
“POTUS, there is no moral equivalence of those who advance hate and those who oppose it. They are morally different universes. Period. POTUS, those who stand with or associate with white-supremacist hate groups are not ‘fine people.’ They are aiders and abettors of hate”
The crowd whooped and cheered Friday when they heard Fitpatrick’s direct repudiation of the president’s remarks.
“He framed his comments directly at the president, which is something very few representatives have done,” Zolfo said. She went on to call the representative “frankly courageous” for going after the president.
President Trump about to board Air Force One earlier this year.
Credit: Staff Sgt. Aaron Knowles/U.S. Army
“It is commendable that he has called out the president, but don’t we want more than that,” Zolfo said.
That next step, according to the assembled demonstrators, is for Fitzpatrick to sign on to Jayapal’s Resolution.
According to Zolfo, Fitzpatrick’s response was better than that from many representatives in congress.
An independent from Newtown Township, Zolfo understands that Fitzpatrick might be apprehensive to sign on to a resolution with only Democrats. In that case, she recommends creating a resolution with closer political allies.
“They need to do something other than talk.”
