2015 -- H 5745

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LC001819

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

STRONGLY CONDEMNING HATE CRIMES AND RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, Regunberg, Amore, Shekarchi, and

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2015

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island was founded on the premise and promise of religious freedom.

Rhode Island's founding father Roger Williams was a passionate believer in ‘Soul Liberty' and

famously stated that "no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter, shall be anywise

molested, punished, disquieted, or called in question for any real differences in opinion in matters

of religion but that all persons may enjoy their own judgments and consciences in matters of

religious concernments." These wise words are part of the very foundation of a civil society. Over

the years, many good men and women have perished in order to protect these precious freedoms

and liberties, both at home and abroad; and

     WHEREAS, In recent years, there has been an increase in religious based hate crimes

aimed at Jews, Muslims, Christians, and people of other faiths. We witnessed the murders of

cartoonists in Paris, France, which were vicious examples of anti-Semitic hatred being

perpetrated against French Jews, and culminated in the death of seventeen innocent people. In the

United States, three Muslim students attending the University of North Carolina were recently

murdered; and

     WHEREAS, It is time for all Rhode Islanders to honor the principles promulgated by

Roger Williams that helped to form our great state by speaking out loudly and condemning recent

hate crimes including Swastikas and portraits of Hitler painted at a bus stop in Providence, hateful

graffiti painted at the Islamic School of Rhode Island, and all other forms of "hatred" found in

public venues; and

     WHEREAS, The freedom to worship the religion of one's choice, or to choose not to be a

religious believer, is a basic human right that should be available to everyone. An attack on any

one person or group based on religious belief is an attack on every single one of us. Turning a

blind eye and doing nothing about these acts of hate emboldens those who would use violence

and intimidation tactics to deny people this basic human right. Our founding fathers understood

just how important this principle is and stated this in the first article of the Bill of Rights; and

     WHEREAS, Leaders across the globe have united in opposition to the recent increase in

hate crimes based on religious belief. The President of the United States, the Pope, and the

leaders of countries from Egypt and Jordan to France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Great Britain

have strongly denounced the recent spate of hate crime violence. Hate crimes have no place in a

civilized society. It is time for freedom loving people across the globe to unite and speak out

against these crimes; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby strongly condemns all hate crimes and all forms of religious

bigotry. We stand in strong support of the great principles and the vital human rights, including

freedom of religion, which unite all Rhode Islanders; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, Barack

Obama, the Rhode Island Congressional delegation, the Governor of the State of Rhode Island,

Gina Raimondo, the Principal of the Islamic School of Rhode Island, Assalamu Alaikum wa

Rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh, and the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

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LC001819

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