(Video above: Lynne Patton’s stirring video supporting Donald J. Trump for President)
Lynne Patton, a black female executive in the Trump Organization whose family is from Birmingham, Alabama, this week released a stirring video defending her boss from what she described as “reprehensible attempts” to attack his character.
Ms. Patton’s video includes pictures of her with the Trump family overlaid with audio she recorded of herself reading a heartfelt letter.
In a matter of just a few days the video, which can be seen above, has received roughly 2 million views. A transcript of the audio can be found below.
Today I was compelled to sit down and write this letter, not to anyone in particular. Maybe even just for myself. But as a black female executive at the Trump organization I can no longer remain silent about the repeated and reprehensible attempts to align my boss and his family with racist hate mongering groups, campaigns, and messaging.
As a daughter of a man born in Birmingham, Alabama, who rose against all odds to become one of the most established and respected doctors at Yale University, there was no amount of money in the world that could buy my loyalty to a family that subscribed to such intolerant and bigoted ideologies.
The Trump family that I know is without question one of the most generous, compassionate and philanthropic families that I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing and the honor to call friends. They have been incredibly loyal to me and the countless dedicated people they employ around the world, hiring more minority and female executives than any other company for which I have worked.
To equate racism with my boss’s call for a temporary moratorium on a flawed immigration system that radical Islamic terrorists continue to exploit, or the construction of an impassible wall to protect our borders from the influx of illegal drugs, is not only incendiary, it’s wholly irresponsible and only serves to embolden the very hatred these draconian groups espouse.
What common sense American wants another terrorist attack on our soil or to perpetuate this countries rampant drug epidemic? But to compare my boss to Adolf Hitler simply to spin your own political agenda or social media punchline is a personal affront to the extermination of over six million Jews and trivializes one of the worst acts of human genocide this world has ever seen.
Rest assured that I am a highly intelligent, free thinking, and independent woman. My opinions and decisions are based solely on fact, not fiction, speculation, assumption, or hearsay. I do not vote based upon the color of my skin or the signature on my paycheck. I judge my friends and forge my allegiances from direct personal interaction and moral character.
That said, there is no higher barometer to measure ones self than the one continually set by this family and their spouses, and I should know. Like many Americans, I have struggled with substance abuse and addiction. The Trump family has stood by me through immensely difficult times without hesitation or concern for their own reputation by association. They continue to trust me with every aspect of their lives and the lives of their families. They invite me into their homes and welcome me at their family gatherings.
For the past six years I have held an executive position as it pertains to the distribution of their charitable funds and they have charged me to identify worthy of altruistic missions. I could not be more humbled. This is the Trump family that I know.
Only up until now it’s all just been opposing campaign rhetoric and paid protestors, but then a letter came, and I thought to myself, “Who does this person think he is to threaten to kill somebody else’s family? Any family, this family, my family, all because of a political race? A campaign?”
But then I realized that this isn’t just a race to Mr. Trump. This isn’t just a race to his family, nor to our veterans, or the unemployed. Because of that this family is willing to risk their own lives each and every day for the greater good of the country. But I would be lying if I said that I didn’t fear them now.
There is a movement sweeping this brave nation and I am honored to have a front row seat to it on a daily basis. This country has spoken. My boss has justly earned the Republican nomination and has broken voter registration records in countless states across America.
This cannot be denied: He has brought this party together by drawing more Democrats, more Independents, and more first-time voters into the GOP fold and has earned more Republican votes than any other Presidential candidate in modern history. That must be respected.
To the skeptics that will undoubtedly claim that I am doing this at the behest of the Trump family or with the promise of reward, I deliberately chose not to seek their approval nor council in advance to this video for fear that there would be more concern for me and it’s potential viral ramifications than they would be for themselves and the fact that quite simply, this is the right thing to do. For me it was an easy decision, just as voting for my boss, Donald J. Trump should be an easy decision for you. God bless this, God bless the voters, and God bless the United States of America.
