Why Jenna Bush Hager is quoting her dad on Twitter
Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former president George W. Bush and correspondent for NBC News, tweeted remarks made by her father in the wake of the 9/11 attacks that praised Islam as a religion of peace and acknowledged Muslims鈥� contributions to the United States.
鈥� '',鈥� she wrote, quoting her father, adding, 鈥渏ust a reminder this am to teach acceptance and love to our kids for all races, all religions...."
She then posted a larger excerpt of from her father鈥檚 speech, given at the Islamic Center in Washington:
"America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country,鈥� said Mr. Bush at that time. "Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads. And they need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect."
Ms. Bush Hager's post was largely seen as a response to President Trump鈥檚 temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from Syria. It's聽the latest expression of protest from a former "First Kid," just days after Malia Obama showed up at a Sundance Film Festival event that expressed solidarity with protestors from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Such activism is a kind of presidential tradition, as Colby Bermel wrote for聽海角大神 in January:
Joshua Kendall, author of 鈥�,鈥� says that 鈥渋n general, political children tend to be rebels.... There is this tradition of the First Kids really speaking out, and Malia is firmly in that tradition.鈥�
The most direct parallel between Malia and another first child, Kendall says, is with Amy Carter, the youngest of former President Jimmy Carter鈥檚 four children. Both were around the same age at the time of their fathers鈥� inaugurations 鈥� Amy was 9, Malia was 10. Both are Ivy Leaguers 鈥� Amy went to Brown University, and Malia will attend Harvard this fall.
The teenage Amy was known for her political activism, having marched with counterculture figure Abbie Hoffman. Both were arrested in 1986 at an anti-CIA demonstration in Massachusetts. A year later, after she and Hoffman were acquitted, 19-year-old Amy invited supporters to another CIA protest at the agency鈥檚 headquarters in Virginia.
Mrs. Bush Hager and her sister Barbara recently penned a public letter to the Obama sisters meditating on life after the White House and offering advice on the finer points of post-office decorum (鈥淲e stay in touch with our Secret Service鈥�). And both the letter鈥檚 affectionate tone and Bush Hager鈥檚 Tuesday Twitter post seem to stand as an implicit rebuke of today's rancorous partisanship.
"We have watched you grow from girls to impressive young women with grace and ease,鈥澛� in the letter.
"Your parents ... put you first and who not only showed you but gave you the world. As always, they will be rooting for you as you begin your next chapter. And so will we."
This report contains material from the Associated Press.
