Donald Trump's call to ban Muslims from coming into this country has been met by serious opposition, including from the Detroit Free Press.
The paper has a front page editorial Wednesday, its first in seven years, saying Trump's proposal is not only an attack on Muslims, but is "attacking us:"
America’s Muslim community has its deepest roots here in southeast Michigan, home to more Middle East immigrants than any other part of the country.
For more than a century, our Muslim friends and neighbors chose Detroit for the good jobs the auto industry provided, the economic opportunity those jobs afforded, and a diverse community built by generations of immigrants.
From Poland, from Ireland, from Italy and Germany and Africa, from the Middle East and all corners of the world, we've come together to build a community complex in layered tradition, of such depth and richness that newcomers can comfortably live two stories: The homeland need not be forgotten for the promise of American opportunity to take hold.
From many, we are one. And we are better for the variance and unity among us.
So when Donald Trump says America should close its borders to Muslim immigrants, he’s not just attacking a fundamental American strength.
He’s attacking us — our community, our neighbors, the rich, diverse fabric that makes up southeast Michigan.
Other news sites and social media followers are distributing the dramatic statement widely. By 10 a.m., it was shared more than 1,500 times on Facebook from the paper's page and those of editors, and retweeted at least 200 times.
Those sharing the link on Twitter include the National Journal's senior political correspondent:
#Detroit to @realDonaldTrump: F*** You pic.twitter.com/dQ4mAgShUy
— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) December 9, 2015
Coverage by Business Insider, a news site based in New York City.
"Freep knocks it out of the park," Lansing political consultant Joe DiSano posts on Facebook. "There are times when you have to stand up no matter the cost. This is one of them. Our descendants will be watching where we were on this."
The Freep's last Page One editorial urged a federal auto industry bailout in 2008.
The Detroit News also slams Trump in a Wednesday editorial inside its paper. Excerpt:
His Muslim scapegoating is particularly unwelcome in Metro Detroit, home to the country’s largest population of Muslim-Americans. This community has worked especially hard to maintain good relations between its various religious groups throughout the war on terror. . . .
We don't need Trump or anyone else stirring the hate pot. . . .
Voters who mistake Trump’s hateful bombast for political courage will have only themselves to blame if he wrecks their party as if it were just another one of his bankrupt Atlantic City casinos.
