Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took a few political shots at President Trump Thursday during a commencement speech at Medgar Evers College.
“I wish I had just flown in from the White House, but I’m happy to be here anyway,” Mrs. Clinton said at the New York college.
She said the diversity of the class, which ranges from over 40 countries, represents why America is already great — a shot at Mr. Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.”
“You embody what makes New York and America great already,” Mrs. Clinton said. “Your ambition, your innovation, your diversity is who we are and who we should want to be.”
Mrs. Clinton told a story of one graduate who immigrated from Yemen and worked in the deli across the street.
“I’m certainly glad he wasn’t banned from America,” she said.
The former Democratic nominee also talked about the need to continue fighting for justice, talking about hate crimes and the Muslim ban.
“The work of justice is never finished. We have seen that and been reminded of it recently. The first months of this year saw a surge of hate crimes across our country. White supremacists are emboldened and their numbers are on the rise,” Mrs. Clinton said.
“We see official actions that turn us against one another and turn us back. The Muslim ban is a particularly egregious example, and yes it is a ban, as the president himself made very clear this week,” she said.
Mrs. Clinton also criticized a number of the Trump administration’s policy efforts, including those by the Department of Justice to restrict voting with new ID laws.
“The Department of Justice itself is actively taking steps to support those state efforts to make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens especially black, poor, elderly or young, to cast ballots,” she said.
She encouraged students to vote and protest, and not allow their voices to be silenced, saying that she, too, had faced setbacks.
“Losing an election is pretty devastating especially considering who I lost to,” Mrs. Clinton said.
“None of our struggles are over. And all of the speaking out and protesting doesn’t mean much if you don’t choose the elected officials who choose to shape your world,” she said. “Never let anyone silence your voice.”
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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