Anthony Romero: The 14th Amendment ‘Cured America’s Original Sin of Chattel Slavery’

RUSH EXCERPT:

ROMERO: “I mean, those statements were so sad, actually, when I think about the fact that we’re on the cusp of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence, some of the founding moments that animated our democracy and what’s at the core, the birthright citizenship is America’s promise that we’re all equal under the law, that if you’re born here, you’re one of us. You’re an American, period. And if this executive order had gone into place, the president would have had the ability to kind of make distinguishing different classes of citizens, second class citizens. If your parents are not born here, but you are, you’re maybe not one of us, we’ll carve you out from this great American promise. And I think it’s fundamentally UN-American the way that they have talked about this, this is the 14th Amendment, was what cured America’s original sin of chattel slavery. It is also what made a nation of immigrants one nation, that we became one people with the 14th Amendment. And so for them to kind of cast aspersions and try to attack it the way they have and will continue to attack it, I’m I’m clear eyed that this battle is not done.”