
Newly-elected Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) of Silicon Valley vows that he will go to jail to protest the presidency of Donald Trump as part of the California Resistance to the new administration.
In an interview with Randy Shandobil of the This Golden State podcast, Khanna, a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from India, referred to Gandhis campaign of civil disobedience against British rule in the subcontinent.
Resistance, for me, is something I think of my grandfather. He spent four years in jail during Gandhis independence movement in the 1940s to fight for Indias freedom Donald Trump, as much of a step backwards as that was, has a four-year term four years in a democracy is a far easier challenge than the one my grandfather had.
Khanna served in the Obama administration before challenging Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) in an unsuccessful bid for the Silicon Valley seat in 2014. He came back again in 2016 and won.
Asked what Khanna would do if federal agents came to his district, the 17th district of California, looking for immigrants to deport, Khanna said he would risk arrest.
I think there is a point of civil disobedience. I hope it wont come to that if it came to a point where I thought there was a deep moral injustice, where they were rounding up folks who are going and living their lives, and have been in this country, and theyre splitting families, and there is moment of moral leadership needed, then I think I would.
Khanna said that Democrats had managed to resist in 2004 when George W. Bush won re-election and Republicans controlled Congress and proposed privatizing Social Security. The result, he proudly said, was that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had led Democrats to power in 2006.
He praised Silicon Valley CEOs who had stood up for social issues in recent years, even if they had to seek common ground with the Trump administration on economic issues.
Shandobil challenged Khanna, noting that he shared some common stances with Trump, including support for term limits, opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and reform of the H-1B visa system. (Shandobil also asked Khanna to react to some of Trumps more controversial policies, erroneously claiming Trump wants to register all Muslims.) Khanna said that his agreement with Trump on certain issues was coincidental and had nothing to do with supporting his presidency.
California has to be a laboratory for resistance, Khanna said, citing the innovative, progressive policies of the state.
He called Trump an aberration who did not have a mandate to change the countrys policies, because he did not win the popular vote. Khanna added that stopping Trump from deporting illegal immigrants would be his top priority.
There was no accommodation with British imperialism, he said, referring to his grandfathers activism. Anything worth fighting for, whether it was the freedom movement in India, or the civil rights movement, it never accommodates with principles that are abhorrent.
He said that Democrats should not resist everything Trump did just for the sake of resisting, but should oppose specific policies. He claimed that Republicans had done otherwise, opposing Obama even when they agreed with his policies.
#1: misterwhite To: cranky (#0)
Trust me. You're not going to go to jail for that kind of resistance.
misterwhite posted on 2017-01-10 11:47:34 Reply Private Reply
#2: cranky To: misterwhite (#1)
I can dream, can't I?
cranky posted on 2017-01-10 12:20:08 Reply Private Reply
#3: misterwhite To: cranky (#2)
misterwhite posted on 2017-01-10 12:28:24 Reply Private Reply
#4: cranky To: misterwhite (#3)
It's true he made no overt threats but I'm hoping he'll do something idiotic if trump really does round 'up folks who are going and living their lives, and have been in this country, and theyre splitting families'.
cranky posted on 2017-01-10 12:42:58 Reply Private Reply
#5: misterwhite To: cranky (#4)
You mean if Trump really does round 'up illegals who are going and living their lives.
If any families are split up, it's their fault. They've had plenty of notice of what Trump is planning, and should already have taken steps to leave.
misterwhite posted on 2017-01-10 12:47:54 Reply Private Reply
#6: Hondo68 To: cranky, Trump Fun Camp (#0)
Hondo68 posted on 2017-01-10 13:34:59 Reply Private Reply
#7: rlk To: cranky (#0)
California has become a laboratory for cultivation and imposition of insanity.
rlk posted on 2017-01-10 16:14:29 Reply Private Reply
#8: BorisY To: cranky (#0)
of
the
ebonics
gene
from
india
kenya
same
thing
love
boris
BorisY posted on 2017-01-10 16:27:48 Reply Private Reply
#9: rlk To: cranky (#0)
Send the son of a bitch back to India to swim in the Ganges with the crocodiles. I have never met someone from an Indian background that was worth a shit. I don't know why we allow them in here.
rlk posted on 2017-01-10 16:46:48 Reply Private Reply