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Trump to Black Congregation: ‘I Want to Fix Many Wrongs’ | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a thumbs up during a church service at Great Faith Ministries, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Detroit. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)


Donald Trump visited a majorly black church to demand civil rights agenda following criticism that he received after appealing for black voters while being surrounded by white audience.

“I am here to listen to you,” the Republican presidential nominee told the congregation at the Great Faith Ministries International, where his church visit marked a rare appearance by Trump in front of a largely minority audience.

“I’m here today to learn,” said Trump.

Trump, who vowed to fix the “many wrongs” facing African-Americans, has been recently outreaching to minority voters in an attempt to expand beyond his GOP base.

“This is the first African-American church he’s been in, y’all!” said Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, who introduced Trump. “Now it’s a little different from a Presbyterian church.”

Trump highlighted the fragile bond in the nation, “Our nation is too divided,” said Trump. “We talk past each other, not to each other. And those who seek office do not do enough to step into the community and learn what is going on.”

Striking a rare unifying tone, he added, “I’m here today to learn so that we can together remedy injustice in any form.”

Trump praised the black church as “the conscience of our country” and said the nation needs “a civil rights agenda of our time” that includes the right to a quality education, safe neighborhoods and good jobs.

He also reflected his understanding of the African-American suffering because of discrimination and stressed that many wrong things need to be fixed.

“I fully understand that the African-American community has suffered from discrimination and that there are many wrongs that must still be made right,” he said.