DREDF’s Statement on Charlottesville
The following statement is issued by Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund in support of and, in solidarity with, the victims, their families and the city of Charlottesville, VA who were subjected to racist violence and murder on August 12, 2017.
DREDF believes now is not the time for ambiguous statements or half-hearted responses. Let us be clear: racism and bigotry continue to ruin the lives of millions. As such, we unequivocally condemn the violence perpetrated in Charlottesville, and the racist ideologies that fueled it.
DREDF believes that we have a duty as advocates and activists, as fellow human beings, to eliminate the conditions which permit hate, bigotry, white supremacy, and violence to fester and cause harm. This includes the symbols of racism and the groups that seek to keep racism alive.
The values espoused in the United States: equality, justice, respect, liberty, and love must be more than aspirations or they become meaningless slogans. To matter they must direct how we live our lives and what we work toward every day. DREDF remains in solidarity with those who continue the necessary work to make these common values a reality.