Dear Friend,
Yesterday was overwhelming. In the morning we learned the final
results of Georgia's Senate runoff races (thank you to the SPLC
Voting Rights team for their GOTV efforts in Georgia). By the
afternoon, our attention had been captured by the horror of the
attempted coup at the Capitol building. I hope you may feel some
measure of relief today after the deeply unsettling and dangerous
events of yesterday. I would like to share the statement we released
yesterday as events were unfolding.
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Like you, I was both horrified by the terrorist actions of the mob of
white nationalists and stunned at the stark discrepancy between their
actions yesterday and the response of security forces to Black and
brown protesters over the last several months. Over and over again,
we've seen an overtly militarized and lethal response to the
peaceful actions of protesters of color. The juxtaposition sharply
illustrates the endurance of white supremacy and how broken our
systems of policing are.
We could have predicted the events of yesterday (and many did), but we
want to be clear that these domestic terrorists were stoked, incited
and encouraged by Trump. Even in his video calling for them to go
home, he encouraged them, telling them he loved them and that they
were very special while repeating his longstanding lie that the
election was stolen.
In the end, our fragile democracy did prevail. Congress returned to
the Capitol to successfully certify the electoral college results and
on January 20 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as our
president and vice president. We can take a deep breath even as we
prepare for the next challenges. Yesterday marked a watershed moment
that underscores the magnitude of the work ahead and how essential it
is that we address and dismantle white nationalism and the racist
structures that oppress so many in our nation and communities.
Remember that the Proud Boys held rallies in Atlanta, Montgomery, and
many other cities yesterday. Our work is urgently needed.
I am deeply grateful to be in this fight with you. You all have
displayed the passion and committed support that the SPLC needs to
continue our work. As we move forward as a nation, we will all
continue to play a central role in demanding the respect for human
rights that this moment requires. We are witnessing an unprecedented
moment of peril in our nation, and we will be a part of seizing this
moment to secure the true promise of equity and justice for all.
With appreciation,
Margaret Huang
SPLC President & CEO
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