The following article by Sarah Ruiz-Grossman was posted on the Huffington Post website January 11, 2018:
After President Donald Trump made racist remarks lamenting immigrants coming from “shithole countries” like Haiti and nations in Africa rather than from Norway, people on Twitter, including some actually from Norway, were quick to remark that, for many Norwegians, America may seem to be a bit of a shithole.
At a meeting with lawmakers in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump called Haiti and African nations “shithole countries” while arguing against restoring protections for immigrants from those regions.
.@NBCNews source: As Durbin explained how deal would impact ppl from Haiti, Trump said, “Haiti? Why do we want people from Haiti here?” Then they got Africa. ‘Why do we want these people from all these shithole countries here? We should have more people from places like Norway.”
White House principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah later responded in a statement, saying, “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people.”
The following day, Trump claimed on Twitter that he hadn’t used those specific words, but Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) ― who was in the room at the time ― swiftly contradicted him, saying that the president had in fact “said these hate-filled things and he said them repeatedly.”
Needless to say, Trump’s words ― the latest in a long list of racist remarks the president has made since he was elected ― caused outrage among many groups, with several members of Congress swiftly condemning them.
People on Twitter were, of course, quick to respond, telling the president that for Norwegians, the United States, and particularly Trump’s America, may actually not be so attractive. After all, Norway is the happiest country in the world.
@realDonaldTrump no one from Norway wants to come to this shithole country. They have healthcare for all, family leave, free education and real gun control. https://twitter.com/PeterAlexander/status/951569860886237185 …
#Norway:
•Named Happiest Country
•Named Best Country To Live In by UN
•Named Most Prosperous Country
•Free colleges/universitiesNorwegians, reading today’s news from the States:
“Why in the world would we want to go to that #shithole country?” https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/951570806072598528 …
🅑🅡🅞🅦🅝Years ago a #Norwegian colleague moved back to #Norway with his American wife because they were ready to start a family and considered the U.S. too violent and dangerous a place to raise children. #shithole
Trump: “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here? Why not people from Norway?”
Norwegians: “Why would we move to a country with a shithole President?”
My parents both came from Norway, god rest their souls.
If they were alive today, they would know better.
They’d have stayed in Norway, or maybe have chosen a less SHITHOLE country.
Like Zimbabwe.
There might be a reason Norwegians stay in Norway: Norway named the world’s happiest country in 2017 http://p.dw.com/p/2ZWuy?tw via @dwnews
My family came from Norway, and I can tell you that we Norwegians think Trump is a racist “shithole.”
My family from #Norway … and who are Conservatives … think @realDonaldTrump is a #shithole too
Trump wants more “Nordics” – In late 19thC Norwegians flooded the upper Midwest because their country was not a decent place to be (= shithole?) – And today they would never leave because of their social democracy
Norway: “Hard Pass on visiting your shithole country.”
The article has been updated to include that Trump has denied having used that specific language, and Durbin’s assertion that he did.
View the post here.