DHS community programs leader said black community has turned American cities into ‘slums’

The head of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) division tasked with outreach to neighborhoods and faith communities reportedly once blamed African-Americans for turning cities into “slums” and made disparaging comments against the religion of Islam.

The Rev. Jamie Johnson, who heads the Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships for DHS, made remarks attacking the black community and Muslims in radio appearances from 2008 to 2016, according to a review by CNN’s KFile. Johnson was appointed to the position by then-DHS Secretary John Kelly in April.

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In a 2008 radio appearance on Accent Radio Network, CNN reported that Johnson praised the success of the Jewish community in the United States while accusing African-Americans of “laziness, drug use and sexual promiscuity.”

“[American Jews] have done exceptionally well for themselves. For only representing about 1.4 percent of America’s population, they make up 12 percent of America’s millionaires. Why? Because they work,” he said.

“And it’s an indictment of America’s black community that has turned America’s major cities into slums because of laziness, drug use and sexual promiscuity,” Johnson added.

In the same radio appearance, Johnson called diversity a cloak for a “far-left Marxist globalist ideology.”

“Diversity is simply a cloak to hide a far-left Marxist globalist ideology that seems to undercut and undermine every principle on which this nation was built,” Johnson reportedly told listeners.

In a separate appearance, Johnson said that he refers to radical Islamism as “obedient Islam,” with radical jihadists representing the truest members of the faith. Islam is a global religion comprised of about 24 percent of the world’s population.

“I never call it radical Islam; if anything, it is obedient Islam. It is faithful Islam,” he said, CNN reported.

“I agree with Dinesh D’Souza, your friend and mine, who says all that Islam has ever given us is oil and dead bodies over the last millennia and a half,” Johnson continued. “It is not a religion of peace.”
 
In a statement to CNN upon learning of the report, Johnson apologized for his past comments, saying they do not reflect his current views.
 
“I have and will continue to work with leaders and members of all faiths as we jointly look to strengthen our safety and security as an interfaith community. Having witnessed leaders from the entire faith spectrum work to empower their communities I now see things much differently,” Johnson said.
 
“I regret the manner in which those thoughts were expressed in the past, but can say unequivocally that they do not represent my views personally or professionally,” he continued.
Tags Department of Homeland Security Islamophobia Jamie Johnson John Kelly John Kelly Racism in the United States Trump administration

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