Statement on Recent Mass Shootings

6th Aug 2019

The senseless shootings that occurred this weekend are a brutal reminder of the progress we have yet to make as a nation.

The shooter in El Paso, a professed racist, intentionally targeted people of Mexican descent. This strikes us personally. These victims could just have easily been any of us, our children, our friends, our family.

This act of terrorism is sadly not isolated. It is the latest in a string of mass shootings targeting various groups—children, Muslim, Jewish, Black.

Unfortunately, our leaders in Washington, DC are only fanning the flames of violence. Our leadership in congress has continually obstructed any meaningful reform in gun laws. And the racist and xenophobic rhetoric from the White House only encourages such tragedy.

As mass shootings seem to occur more and more frequently, the natural reaction may be to disconnect and disengage. We urge you to lean in.

We must connect with our community and engage politically to elect leaders who condemn such violence and intolerance through consistent action rather than empty words.