Attacking Extremist Violence: SPLC supports White House anti-hate
initiatives announced during 'United We Stand' summit
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LaShawn Warren, SPLC Chief Policy Officer | Read the full piece here
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Friend,
At the United We Stand summit hosted by the Biden administration last
week, the White House rolled out an impressive number of government
initiatives
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, along with several public-private partnerships designed to foster
unity and build community trust and resilience in the fight against
hate and extremism.
We welcomed Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice's August
announcement
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of the summit to help stem the tide of the corrosive effects of
increasing hate-fueled violence and extremism in the United States. As
James Baldwin rightly said, "Not everything that is faced can be
changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
As chief policy officer, I represented the Southern Poverty Law Center
at the summit, which brought together local, state and federal
policymakers, civil rights groups, faith and community leaders,
technology and business leaders, law enforcement officials and
survivors of hate-fueled violence and their families all to combat the
proliferation of hate in our country.
Of the many federal government-sponsored events I have attended over
the years, none have inspired me more than the United We Stand summit.
It was an incredible moment of acknowledgment, healing, community
transformation and unity. By elevating and highlighting the impact of
the mass shootings in Buffalo, El Paso and Oak Creek, the hostage
situation at the Colleyville synagogue, and the violent assaults on
civilians in New York, Charlottesville and elsewhere, the day was a
moment of reckoning and a sober reminder of the devastation that
hate-fueled violence has inflicted on minority communities and
families both in the past and present.
There was a recognition that the violence has deep roots in system
failures as well as societal gaps in the recognition of the humanity
in people who are different from us.
Most notably, the program showcased how survivors turned unimaginable
tragedy into a movement to transcend hate, acknowledge the humanity of
others and offer hope for a world where love wins. The genuine display
of bipartisanship where the public welfare is prioritized above
politics was a refreshing change from the constant barrage of hateful
political rhetoric too often dominating public discourse.
The summit was transformational because there was recognition that no
one person or entity alone can solve hate, the proliferation of white
nationalism and extremism. It takes a village a commitment from the
government, the community, faith leaders, businesses and everyday
people working together.
In a letter to Rice
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in advance of the summit, we urged the planners to focus on survivors
and their families, concentrate on forward-looking, long-term
prevention initiatives not merely enforcement of existing laws and
center community-based resources and best practices to address the
harms of hate-fueled violence.
READ MORE
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In solidarity,
Your friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center
P.S. Have you heard about our new round-up supporter program
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SPLC every month - every cent counts in the fight against hate!
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The SPLC is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond,
working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy,
strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of
all people.
Friend, will you make a gift to help the SPLC fight for
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