Families of Jackie Robinson, MLK blast Trump for using their images in ad
'Impossible? We treat that word as motivation,' it says, as pics of the sports and civil rights icons flash.
The campaign to reelect President Donald Trump has released a new advertisement that uses the photos of Jackie Robinson and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Â
The ad, titled âSay What You Will About America,â uses black and white historical images with an ominous voiceover espousing American exceptionalism. âImpossible? We treat that word as motivation,â the ad intones as pictures of Robinson and King flash.Â
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The families of the two civil rights icons are blasting the campaign for using their photos.
âThe Trump campaign is in opposition to all that Jackie Robinson stood for and believed in. Weâre insulted and demand that his image be removed!” Robinson’s daughter, Sharon Robinson, tweeted Thursday.
Kingâs daughter, Bernice King, also pushed back about the use of her fatherâs image, directing a tweet directly at the president: âI find President Trumpâs use of my fatherâs image in his political ad beyond insulting and not reflective of #MLKâs commitment to creating the #BelovedCommunity. My father should not be used in ways strongly misaligned with his vision and value.”
King, who heads up the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, said America needs a leader like her father âNOW.âÂ
The Trump commercial accuses an unnamed enemy of trying to destroy the country.Â
âAs we reopen our economy,â it claims, âsome folks want to shut us down.â The images turn dark, fears that âtheyâ want âto destroy our traditionsâ warn watchers, layered over shots of burning stores.Â
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But, the ad says, âwe will never surrender America. Donât bet against us.â
The Trump campaign has not responded to requests of the daughters of the two civil rights icons.Â
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