By Alejandra Molina / Religious News Service / August 27, 2020
Former students from Point Loma Nazarene University, a private Christian liberal arts college in San Diego, are denouncing a speech fellow grad Natalie Harp gave at the Republican National Convention on Monday (Aug. 24).
In her speech, Harp, a California entrepreneur, lauded President Donald Trump’s restrictions on travelers from China, which she said prevented further spread of the novel coronavirus. “Millions more would have been infected,” she said.
Point Loma Nazarene University alumni rejected her comments in a letter that as of Thursday afternoon had accumulated more than 300 signatures [392 as of 9:30 am, 8/28]. A LinkedIn profile shows Harp attended Point Loma Nazarene University between 2009 and 2012. [Letter reposted in full below.]
“While COVID-19 ruthlessly infects and kills more Black and Brown Americans, this administration is continuing its efforts in court to end healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, under the direction of this President and supported by Ms. Harp,” the letter read.
The letter also noted that “countless experts have continued to refute this President’s claim that the ‘China travel ban’ positively impacted our nation’s response to COVID-19.”
According to The Associated Press, U.S. travel restrictions that took effect Feb. 2 continued to allow travel to the U.S. from China’s Hong Kong and Macao territories.
AP reported that more than 8,000 Chinese and foreign nationals based in those territories entered the U.S. in the first three months after the travel restrictions were imposed.
Students in the letter said they were “taught to think critically” and while they recognize there are a range of political perspectives, “we cannot accept the misguided claims and dangerous comments supported by Ms. Harp.”
“Ms. Harp does not speak for us, and we hereby reject her support of this President who is unabashedly heretical, dishonest, racist, and sexist, to say the least,” the letter read.
In her speech, Harp also commended Trump for pushing for the “Right to Try Act,” a law that allows patients with life-threatening diseases to access unapproved treatments.
“Without you, I would have died waiting for them to be approved,” said Harp, a cancer survivor.
According to The Washington Post, experts have expressed doubt on her story. Harp’s description of the treatment she underwent and her timeline for receiving it “make it unlikely Trump had any effect on her case,” the newspaper reported.
*****
Natalie Harp does not speak for us
As a group of deeply concerned alumni of Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU), we wholeheartedly reject the speech delivered by Ms. Natalie Harp (’12), Advisory Board Member of the Donald J. Trump for President Campaign, at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on August 24, 2020.
While the current state of our nation might be “a wonderful life” for those with wealth, privilege, power, and access, this is clearly not the case for far too many of our sisters, brothers, and siblings across the United States. With inequality gaps larger than ever before, this reality has only been exponentially exacerbated by the total demagoguery and degradation caused by this President and supported by Ms. Harp.
While COVID-19 ruthlessly infects and kills more Black and Brown Americans, this administration is continuing its efforts in court to end healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, under the direction of this President and supported by Ms. Harp.
While Black and Brown people continue to be subjected to discrimination, brutality, and even death at the hands of racist systems, institutions, and policies across our government, this President’s utter disregard to acknowledge and compassionately respond to the cries for justice from millions across the country is unconscionable and yet still seemingly supported by Ms. Harp.
While countless experts have continued to refute this President’s claim that the “China travel ban” positively impacted our nation’s response to COVID-19, Ms. Harp chose to espouse this baseless claim in her RNC remarks to a national audience. The utter lack of a coordinated federal government response to effectively combat this pandemic has resulted in an unthinkable number of lost jobs, destroyed futures, and otherwise preventable deaths. Despite this President’s continued racist remarks to the nation that distractingly discriminate against Asian-Americans, his failed crisis response continues, supported by Ms. Harp.
At PLNU, we were taught to think critically, reflect authentically, and to consider the wellbeing of others as foundational to a life of service in any and every field. While we recognize there are diverse political perspectives and one has the freedom to believe how they may, we cannot accept the misguided claims and dangerous comments supported by Ms. Harp.
Ms. Harp does not speak for us, and we hereby reject her support of this President who is unabashedly heretical, dishonest, racist, and sexist, to say the least. We encourage fellow alumni to join us in calling out Ms. Harp’s disturbing adoration of this President and on November 3rd, voting to uphold our democracy by ensuring he is no longer in office.
SIGNED, [please see original for list of names; 392 as of 9:30 am 8/28/2020]
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Please publish another story so that face goes below the computer fold.
As of Sunday, Aug. 29, there have 562 signatories to this statement.