Statement of the Civil Rights Coalition On Policing Reform On Charlottesville

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16, 2017

MEDIA CONTACT
Yamila Pino, yamila@prosperolatino.com, (202) 440-1432
Mark Antoniewicz, mark@hiphopcaucus.org, 202-506-5882

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A broad coalition of environmental, public health and public interest groups, including prominent African American and Latino organizations, issued the following joint statement in response to this past weekend’s white nationalist gathering and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia and President Trump’s inexplicable reversal as to who’s to blame for the violence:

“Our nation witnessed tragic, despicable and completely unnecessary violence in Charlottesville this past weekend. Driven by hatred and racism, these white nationalist and neo-nazi groups and their actions do not represent our values, nor the values of the vast majority of Americans. We also remember the life of Heather Heyer and commit to continuing the struggle she died for.

The behavior of white nationalists is neither acceptable nor normal and we will continue to stand in solidarity against such hatred and in defense of the rights and safety of communities across the country like Charlottesville. We will not tolerate any form of hatred or discrimination and will align ourselves with communities of color and creeds that are the target of ongoing bigotry.

We call on our political leaders to condemn these acts not just today, but every time they happen. President Trump and all political leaders, no matter their party affiliation, have an obligation to stand up against such hate groups immediately and unequivocally. Their voices and words — and lack thereof — matter.

The tragic events in Charlottesville fall on our shoulders as a nation. No one who stands for justice, equality, and human dignity can stay silent any longer. We will stand unified against the white nationalist movement that everyday threatens America’s people and ideals, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all. We will ultimately prevail by countering this hate with love.”

17 for Peace and Justice
350.org
African American Nature and Parks Experience
Alaska Wilderness League
Alliance for Climate Education (ACE)
Audubon Naturalist Society
Austin 2030 District
Azul
Be The Change -USA
Black permaculture network
Bold Alliance
California League of Conservation Voters
Care About Climate
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Diversity & the Environment
Center for International Environmental Law
Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN)
Chispa
Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Clean Air Council
Climate Hawks Vote
Climate Nexus
Coalition Center for Popular Democracy
Defend Our Future
Defenders of Wildlife
Diverse Environmental Leaders Speakers Bureau
Dogwood Alliance
Dynamic Aptitude
Earthjustice
Earthworks
Endangered Species Coalition
Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Leadership Program
EPCF – Climate Change Disruption
Food & Water Watch
Friends of Organ Mountains Desert Peaks
Friends of the Earth
Green 2.0
Green For All
GreenFaith
GreenLatinos
Greenpeace USA
Greensgrow
Hip Hop Caucus
Hispanic Access Foundation
Hispanic Federation
IDEASForUs
Imagine Power LLC
Institute for Sustainable Communities
Institute for Sutainable Urban Transformation
Interfaith Power & Light
International Mayan League
La Union Hace La Fuerza
Latino Victory Project
League of Conservation Voters
League of United Latin American Citizens
Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Maine Conservation Voters
Mi Familia Vota
Moms Clean Air Force
Mount Moriah FBH Church
Mt Eastern Joy, LLC
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Ocean Protection
National Parks Conservation Association
Natural Resources Defense Council
NCLR Action Fund
Network for Sustainable Financial Markets
NextGen America
Noble Renewables Group of the West
North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO)
Ocean Conservancy
Oceana
Our Climate
Outdoor Afro
Peoples Climate Movement
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Population Connection
Power Shift Network
Public Citizen
Rachel Carson Council
Rachel’s Network
Radiance Studios LLC
Rainforest Action Network
Roosevelt Institute
Rural Coalition
Sachamama
Save EPA
Sierra Club
Sierra Club Virginia Chapter
Sunrise
Sustainable Agricultural Education Association
Sustainable Practices
SustainUS
The Environmental Justice Center at Chestnut Hill United Church
The Evangelical Environmental Network
The Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc
The Joy Trip Project
The Praxis Project
The Trail Posse
The Wilderness Society
Toxics Action Center
Union of Concerned Scientists
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Virginia Interfaith Power & Light
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
Voces Verdes
Voices for Progress
Voto Latino
Waterkeeper Alliance
WE ACT for Environmental Justice
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PARA DISTRIBUCIÓN INMEDIATA
August 16, 2017

CONTACTO PARA LOS MEDIOS
Yamila Pino, (202) 440-1432 / (202) 660-1433
Grupos ambientalistas y de interés público condenan la violencia racista y la intolerancia en Charlottesville, Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Una amplia coalición de grupos ambientalistas, de salud pública e interés público, que también incluyen reconocidas organizaciones afroamericanas y latinas, emitieron las siguientes declaraciones en respuesta a la manifestación y violencia de nacionalistas blancos el fin de semana pasado en Charlottesville, Virginia, y el inexplicable revés del President Trump sobre los culpables de los sucesos:

“Nuestra nación ha sido testigo de una violencia trágica, despiadada y completamente innecesaria este pasado fin de semana en Charlottesville. Impulsados por el odio y el racismo, estos grupos de nacionalistas blancos y neo-nazis, al igual que sus acciones, no representan nuestros valores. Tampoco representan los valores de la mayoría de los estadounidenses. También recordamos la vida de Heather Heyer y nos comprometemos a continuar la lucha que le costó la vida.

El comportamiento de nacionalistas blancos no es aceptable. Por tal razón, continuaremos expresando nuestra solidaridad en contra de dicho odio y defendiendo los derechos y bienestar de comunidades como Charlottesville a lo largo del país. No toleraremos ninguna expresión de odio o discriminación y nos unimos a las comunidades de color y de diversos credos que son víctimas de la intolerancia. Buy Professional Cialis

Hacemos un llamado a nuestros líderes políticos para que repudien estos actos no sólo en estos momentos sino cada vez que ocurran. El Presidente Trump y todos los funcionarios electos— independientemente de su afiliación política— tienen la obligación de no quedarse callados ante estos grupos de odio inmediata e inequívocamente. Sus voces y palabras— al igual que la ausencia de ellas— importan.

Los trágicos eventos de Charlottesville pesan sobre la nación entera. Todo el que luche por la justicia, igualdad y dignidad del ser humano tiene el deber de levantar su voz. Nos uniremos en contra de lo que representa el movimiento supremacista blanco que día a día es una amenaza al pueblo estadounidense y sus ideales como el derecho a la dignidad, libertad y búsqueda de la felicidad. Al final saldremos victoriosos al hacerle frente a este odio con amor”.

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Hosted by Wild Wayne & Sunni Patterson

Tuesday, August 29, 2017
10:00 AM – Lower Ninth Ward

Free to the Public

March is from Jourdan Avenue and Galvez Street, to Hunter Field

#BiggestSecondLineonaTuesday

For more information, call 504-342-6977.

About: Hip Hop Caucus, People’s Climate Music and Nuthin’ But Fire Records will be holding the 12th annual Katrina March and Second Line for the 12-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The event is set to have radio personality Wild Wayne of Q93 and poet Sunni Patterson as hosts. The Katrina March and Second Line is scheduled to start in the morning in the Lower 9th Ward, where the levees broke in the storm, and end at Hunter’s Field, where a rally will be held with speakers and performers. More information coming soon.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:August 13, 2017

PRESS CONTACT: Mark Antoniewicz, mark@hiphopcaucus.org, 202-870-8476

Yesterday, this country’s leadership failed its citizens and allowed White supremacists, KKK, and Neo-Nazi infiltrators to be violent, vicious, and murderous in the city of Charlottesville, VA. Friday night the nation had been alarmed by the lighted torch invasion of the UVA campus by hundreds of Neo-Nazis and White supremacists chanting racist slurs including “Jews cannot replace us,” “Blood and Soil”, and spewing racial epithets. Unimpeded by police, they rallied for hours, assaulted a small contingent of peaceful counter-protesters before marching on a local church where a civil rights service and rally was taking place before being forcefully dispersed.

The day began with one group of nonviolent activist s led by Black Clergy and interracial/interdenominational clergy, who had come to the city to participate in peaceful social justice actions and condemn hatred. They were attacked by a mob of White supremacists, KKK members, and Neo-Nazis, made up of mostly armed white males who came prepared to “wipe out oppression”. After a morning and afternoon of violence, James Alex Fields drove his car into the back of racial justice demonstrators returning home and killed 32 year Heather Heyer and injured 19 others. In the end, a community was left in turmoil, lives were lost, people were critically injured, and instead of peace and love, hate and bigotry rang in the air for all the world to see, because the President of the United States, having inspired this atmosphere through his words and misdeeds, ignored what happened.

The Civil Rights Coalition on Policing Reform (“Coalition”) was created in the aftermath of the killing by law enforcement of Michael Brown Jr. in Ferguson, MO in August 2014. The coalition condemns the failure of the White House to profoundly denounce the presence and actions of these hate groups in Charlottesville, VA yesterday. Donald Trump’s speech late in the day was a complete abdication of his leadership role as President to denounce organized and violent bigots hate mongers. Instead, he said, “ We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence. On many sides.” These vague and insidious words are far from an honest and full condemnation of the bigotry and hatred of these white supremacist groups.

The Coalition is also disappointed by the slow and weak response from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to come to the aid of the city of Charlottesville and the peaceful social justice activists. There were clear and visible images via multiple media outlets showing hateful words, spitting, hitting, and other violent acts of terror by these White supremacist groups. The lack of a timely response to these images from the Attorney General of the United States is oppressive and encouraged the continued violence by these domestic terrorists. Made late Saturday night, the statement from DOJ “to look into possible hate crimes” and to open a federal civil rights investigation into “the deadly car attack” are is limited, slow, and doesn’t encompass all of the crimes that happened yesterday. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ statement : was “The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice. When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.” This is degrading to the office of Attorney General as he states “…such actions arise from ….”, while refusing to poignantly and emphatically state that these deeds were acts of terrorism done by bigots and White supremacists whose primary purpose for gathering in Charlottesville was to be violent.

We must not forget the reasons why Black Clergy and many social justice activists made the pilgrimage to Charlottesville, VA. Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy took on a noble task of eliminating the hurtful and harmful history that the remembrance of the Confederacy brought to the city. He welcomed vivacious dialogue with his city and was met by hateful bigotry and violence by White supremacists, KKK members, and Neo-Nazis. The Black Clergy and social justice activists who went to Charlottesville joined the many people of this nation, of this world, who denounce and resist hatred everyday. They are working to create a world that is inclusive and respectful of all lives. We embrace the words of Heather Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro,
“..I want her death to be a rallying cry for justice and equality and fairness and compassion.”

The Civil Rights Coalition on Policing Reform will remain active in its charge to create a better law enforcement system in this country and at the same time join brave social justice activists in our quest for “igniting change” in the world.

CONTACT:

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