HHRC Statement: Ending Violence Requires Confronting White Supremacy

August 6, 2019

Shenna Bellows
shenna.bellows@maine.edu
(207) 776-5404

AUGUSTA — Two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio following on the heels of the shooting in Gilroy, CA have rocked the nation and resulted in the deaths of at least 31 innocent men, women, and children. As details emerge, it is clear that the shootings were motivated by white supremacy. 

HHRC Executive Director Shenna Bellows released the following statement in response to the incidents:

“We mourn for the lives lost and their families and condemn these morally reprehensible acts of hate and prejudice in the strongest terms possible.” 

“The data is clear that incidents of hate and bias have increased since the 2016 election and that the rhetoric of our nation’s leaders have helped to fuel white supremacy. From mass shootings at mosques, synagogues, and shopping centers, to increased hate speech and bullying in our schools, we are seeing the result of white supremacy that is allowed to fester without being confronted and corrected.”

“We must not be afraid to engage in dialogue and confront those in our families, workplaces, and communities to show them that prejudice has terrible power and leads to violence and mass murder.”

The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine promotes universal respect for human rights through outreach and education. Using the lessons of the Holocaust and other events past and present we encourage individuals and communities to reflect and act upon their moral responsibilities to confront prejudice, intolerance and discrimination.