Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump
reiterated a pledge to repeal a controversial piece
of legislation, commonly known as the Johnson
Amendment, that penalizes charitable
organizations including churches for endorsing
political candidates as he officially accepted his party’s nomination Thursday night.
“At this moment, I would like to thank the
evangelical and religious community and I’m not
sure I totally deserve it … They have so much to
contribute to our politics, yet our laws prevent you
from speaking your minds from your own pulpits,”
said Trump to the audience gathered on the final night of the Republican National Convention in
Cleveland, Ohio.
“An amendment, pushed by Lyndon Johnson,
many years ago, threatens religious institutions
with a loss of their tax-exempt status if they openly
advocate their political views,” said Trump. “I am
going to work very hard to repeal that language
and protect free speech for all Americans.”
In a speech that came across as a comprehensive
reiteration of familiar talking points he has been
sharing along the campaign trail, Trump framed
himself as the candidate most uniquely positioned
to trust with some of the nation’s most
controversial policy issues in areas such as law and order, religious freedom, immigration, foreign
policy, LGBT protections, healthcare and education.
“In this race for the White House, I am the law and
order candidate. The irresponsible rhetoric of our
President, who has used the pulpit of the
presidency to divide us by race and color, has made
America a more dangerous environment for
everyone,” said Trump, who promised to start putting Americans first.
“This Administration has failed America’s inner
cities. It’s failed them on education. It’s failed them
on jobs. It’s failed them on crime. It’s failed them at
every level.
“When I am President, I will work to ensure that all
of our kids are treated equally, and protected
equally,” Trump said. “Every action I take, I will ask
myself: does this make life better for young
Americans in Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Ferguson
who have as much of a right to live out their dreams as any other child America?”
Trump vow to protect the LGBTQ community and
praised the convention delegates for their reaction
to his discussion of the subject.
“Only weeks ago, in Orlando, Florida, 49 wonderful
Americans were savagely murdered by an Islamic
terrorist. This time, the terrorist targeted our LGBTQ
community. No good and we’re gonna stop it. As
your President, I will do everything in my power to
protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology. Believe
me
“And I have to say, as a Republican, it is so nice to
hear you cheering for what I just said. Thank you,”
Trump said as the delegates applauded.
The billionaire who mostly stayed on script for the
more than hour-long speech made other familiar
declarations such as his intention to build a wall
along the Mexican border and enforcing the law
concerning illegal immigrants.
“We are going to build a great border wall to stop
illegal immigration, to stop the gangs and the
violence, and to stop the drugs from pouring into
our communities. I have been honored to receive
the endorsement of America’s Border Patrol
Agents, and will work directly with them to protect the integrity of our lawful immigration system,” said
Trump. “Tonight, I want every American whose
demands for immigration security have been
denied — and every politician who has denied
them — to listen very closely to the words I am
about to say. On January 20th of 2017, the day after I take the oath of office, Americans will finally
wake up in a country where the laws of the United
States are enforced. We are going to be considerate
and compassionate to everyone.”
His greatest compassion, says Trump, will be for
struggling Americans.
He also reiterated his plan to renegotiate trade
deals and bring back outsourced jobs to benefit the
American worker.
“My sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for
our country — to go to work for all of you. It’s time
to deliver a victory for the American people … But to
do that, we must break free from the petty politics
of the past,” said Trump.
“America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and
strivers that is being led by a group of censors,
critics, and cynics. Remember: all of the people
telling you that you can’t have the country you
want, are the same people telling you that I
wouldn’t be standing here tonight. No longer can we rely on those elites in media, and politics, who
will say anything to keep a rigged system in place,”
he said.
“Instead, we must choose to believe in America.
History is watching us now. It’s waiting to see if we
will rise to the occasion, and if we will show the
whole world that America is still free and
independent and strong,” noted Trump.
“My opponent asks her supporters to recite a three-
word loyalty pledge. It reads: ‘I’m With Her.’ I
choose to recite a different pledge. My pledge
reads: ‘I’m with you, the American people,'” he
continued.
“So to every parent who dreams for their child, and
every child who dreams for their future, I say these
words to you tonight: I’m With You, and I will fight
for you, and I will win for you,” he added.
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