2017 -- H 6384

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LC002995

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

DENOUNCING THE BIGOTRY, PREJUDICE, AND ANTI-SEMITISM OF THE "UNITE

THE RIGHT" RALLY HELD IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, Mattiello, Shekarchi, Morgan, and Filippi

     Date Introduced: September 19, 2017

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, On Friday, August 11, 2017, at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville,

Virginia, several hundred White supremacists, neo-Nazis, and members of the KKK, marched

through the streets with torches, yelling bigoted, racist and anti-Semitic chants as part of a "Unite

the Right" rally; and

     WHEREAS, Filled with rage and bigotry, professing the goal to "take America back" and

protesting the removal of a Confederate monument, many of the extremists carried shields, clubs,

and guns; and

     WHEREAS, By the following day, violence had inevitably erupted, and ultimately, three

innocent lives were lost; and

     WHEREAS, On Saturday, a group had gathered to demonstrate against the social

injustice and hatred being promoted by the rally. After numerous confrontations and multiple

injuries, the rally was declared an unlawful assembly. As both sides were leaving, a car driven by

one of the rallygoers, rammed into a crowd of counterdemonstrators, killing Heather Heyer, and

injuring nineteen others; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, two Virginia State Police troopers Lt. H. Jay Cullen, and

Trooper Berke M.M. Bates, who were monitoring and providing video of the events from a

helicopter crashed, killing both men; and

     WHEREAS, The racial divides and hatred that fueled these violent events cannot be

tolerated. As individuals, as a state, and as a nation, Americans of all races, creeds and colors

must unite against the vile bigotry, rage, and anti-Semitism that continues to plague our world;

now, therefore be it

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

Providence Plantations hereby comprehensively and completely denounces the bigotry, prejudice,

and anti-Semitism of the "Unite the Right" rally and condemns the ideologies of all hate groups

who systematically judge, minimize, persecute, or obstruct individuals based on skin color,

gender, or religion and moreover urges all Americans to unite against those who espouse hatred,

discrimination, and violence; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby extends its deepest sympathy to the families of

Heather Heyer, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, and Trooper Berke M.M. Bates; 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 Mayor of Charlottesville, VA, and members

of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation.

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