STATEMENT FROM AFT-MARYLAND PRESIDENT MARIETTA ENGLISH
ON THE RECENT MASS SHOOTINGS IN TEXAS AND OHIO
Over the weekend, the nation once again witnessed violence in its worst form: mass shootings that took the lives of nearly 30 people in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. These shootings are again abhorrent and represent the worst in human behavior. They demonstrate that too many Americans use violence as the language with which they communicate. While we are still waiting for a motive in the Dayton shooting, we know the violence in El Paso was motivated by white supremacist xenophobia and ethnic hatred. We also know the shooter was inspired by the words and behavior of our president. White supremacist violence has long haunted many Americans and has resulted in the death of too many black and brown people.
Now is the time for the nation to have a moral reckoning and rid ourselves of white supremacist violence once and for all. If we are to ever live up to the great potential that our vast, diverse, and wonderful country has the ability to be, it will be because we root out the gun violence that has touched everyone from children in school, to moviegoers, to concert attendees, and now people shopping and enjoying a night out. In this moment, our country must take on the challenge of addressing gun violence through sensible bi-partisan legislation. While doing this, we must also rebuke white supremacist domestic terrorism and create a country that is welcoming, safe, and loving of all people regardless of how they show up in the world.