The coffers of the anti-hate Simon Wiesenthal Center in West Los Angeles swelled by $100,000 Tuesday with a donation from former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the wake of the Charlottesville violence and President Trump’s controversial initial statements.
“While these so-called ‘white nationalists’ are lucky to live in a country that defends their right to voice their awful, incorrect, hateful opinions, the rest of us must use our voices and resources to condemn hate and teach tolerance at every opportunity,” according to a Facebook post by the actor-turned-politician that was quoted in the Los Angeles Times.
“My message to them is simple: you will not win. Our voices are louder and stronger.”
Trump came under fire from both Democrats and Republicans after he failed to single out neo-Nazis and the KKK in his initial denunciation of deadly violence that broke out Saturday in the Virginia college town after alt-right, white nationalists rallied and were met with protests.
The president did single out those groups in comments Monday after 48-hours of criticism from around the nation.
Schwarzenegger and Trump have had disagreements in the past, including what seemed to be a good-natured jab by the president at Schwarzenegger over the actor’s failed attempt to replace Trump on the TV hit “The Apprentice.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center along Pico Boulevard at Roxbury Drive is famed for its Holocaust museum, focus on tolerance, work against hate and the hunt to track down real Nazis from World War II for prosecution.
The California ex-governor and actor who first came to international fame through bodybuilding posted his Facebook comments on Sunday. He did not specifically mention Trump.