Dan Rather Rants That Donald Trump Is ‘Endangering Founding Principles’: Former CBS Anchor Calls for Activism
Former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather continued his harsh words for President-elect Donald Trump yesterday as part of an angry rant on his Facebook account.
In this rant, Rather urged U.S. citizens to not “remain seated or silent” in the wake of hate speech following Trump’s election, in addition to railing against Trump’s “First 100 Days” plan as well as the future commander-in-chief’s very vocal welcoming by some hate groups.
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Perhaps no more visual representation of this form of hate speech welcoming Trump exists than the recent remarks of Richard Spencer of the National Policy Institute. Spencer’s words, which are captured in the video below, likely served as the genesis for Dan Rather’s condemning rant.
“Our Declaration of Independence bequeaths us our cherished foundational principle,” Rather explained. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
No doubt, it is the “created equal” part of this well-known adage that Rather feels could soon be left in the dust if U.S. citizens do not remain diligent.
Rather continued, “These truths may be self-evident but they are not self-replicating. Each generation has to renew these vows… I feel the rip tide of regression once again swelling under my feet. But I intend to remain standing.”
For his own part, Dan Rather’s target, President-elect Donald Trump, recently condemned the use of Nazi gestures and phrases, calling them an act of an extreme alt-right group.
Unfortunately, as noted by the Hill, Trump’s refusal to denounce the words and actions of the National Policy Institute and others sooner has left many questioning his own level of culpability that may result in any future potential hate crimes.
Many feel that Trump’s call for a stop to such hateful rhetoric also is essentially too little, too late.
And Dan Rather’s rant seems to indicate that he is a chief frontline fighter among those critics.
“To all of you I say, stay vigilant,” continued Rather. “The great Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that… there was strength in numbers in fighting tyranny… I believe there is a vast majority who wants to see this nation continue in tolerance and freedom.”
Rather continued, “But it will require speaking. Engage in your civic government. Flood newsrooms or TV networks with your calls if you feel they are slipping into the normalization of extremism. Donate your time and money to causes that will fight to protect our liberties.”
It is this aspect — taking action rather than remaining silent — that Rather noted is what separates Trump from many of the good-natured citizens of the U.S.
This need to stand up is also what the former CBS Evening News anchor believes is our most important duty toward helping remain “a great nation” in spite of the words and actions of the people who believe they are following Trump’s lead.
And Rather’s words about remaining socially active were not lost among some.
“The American left cannot simply weather this storm like we did the Bush years, for this is a very different kind of storm,” said Occupy Democrats writer Colin Taylor. “It is our civic duty to defend every American, no matter their race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender, from the pernicious machinations of fascists and the greedy schemes of corrupt politicians.”
“We are a great nation,” added Rather at the end of his rant. “We have survived deep challenges in our past. We can and will do so again.”
[Featured Image by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images]
