Dear AFGE Community,

Hate has no place in our union or our communities. Our hearts are heavy with the racially motivated killings of 10 residents of Buffalo, New York, and the injury of 3 more. On May 14, 2022, an 18-year-old White man specifically targeted Black people in a grocery store frequented by Black people. Wielding an AR-15 style weapon and loaded with racist beliefs, this domestic terrorist executed a plan to lower the chance that Black people would grow in numbers and replace America’s White majority.

Under this “Great Replacement” theory, Black people in thriving and growing communities represent a threat to White power by growing too fast in population size. AFGE vehemently rejects the tenets of the “Great Replacement” theory. Further, we believe it is important to acknowledge that such gross showcases of inhumanity are not one-off events of White supremacists. Instead, they reflect the incessant White supremacist ideologies and anti-Black ideologies that have persisted in America since before its creation.

There have been many racially motivated mass shootings throughout America over the past 10 years, and together they provide evidence that White supremacy ideologies are being permeated throughout our nation. We believe EVERYONE has an unalienable right to exist in this country without fear of being discriminated against, pursued, or murdered based on the color of their skin.

AFGE is dedicated to protecting that right, and unabashedly stands against any who seek to perpetuate this pernicious form of hatred. Our hearts are aligned with our Black members who are suffering, their families, and the community directly impacted by this horrendous act of hatred.

In Solidarity,

AFGE B.L.A.C.K. and Jeremy A. Lannan, NVP for Women’s and Fair Practices

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