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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

DENOUNCING AND OPPOSING WHITE NATIONALIST AND NEO-NAZI GROUPS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Nesselbush, Bell, Miller, Goldin, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: April 30, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

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     WHEREAS, White nationalist groups espouse an ideology of white supremacy and the

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"alleged" inferiority of non-whites. They believe that white identity should be a paramount

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principle in the governing of western nations and they support non-democratic means to bring this

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evil philosophy to the forefront; and

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     WHEREAS, Throughout the course of our nation's history, white nationalism has

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supported and promoted coercion and violent repression of individuals solely on the basis of their

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race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and immigration status. They have attempted to

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reinvent themselves, self-identifying as the "alt-right," yet their present-day rhetoric and terrorism

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conjure painful memories of our nation's past; and; and

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     WHEREAS, In August and October of 2018, hate groups organized by Resist Marxism

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attempted to hold rallies at Rhode Island's State House in order to promote racist and white

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supremacy agendas that are in irreconcilable conflict with our State's and our Nation's

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foundational principles of liberty and justice for all. Counter protesters were organized by Ocean

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State Against Hate, a local antifascist coalition. At both events, as is often the case with these hate

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group's demonstrations, the rallies turned violent and police were forced to disperse everyone;

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and

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     WHEREAS, The white nationalists and neo-Nazi message of racial, ethnic, and social

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intolerance has led to senseless acts of violence that continue to terrorize members of racial and

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religious minority communities; and

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     WHEREAS, Across the country, shocking and appalling events in Charlottesville,

 

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Virginia, on August 12, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 2018, and in Poway,

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California on April 27, 2019, confirm that white nationalism and neo-Nazism remain very real

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threats to social and racial progress; and

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     WHEREAS, In Rhode Island, in May of 2016, a Pawtucket synagogue was defaced by a

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swastika, in February of 2018, racist flyers were distributed in the City of Providence, and in

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December of 2018, racist stickers were affixed to signs in Johnston. As each of these events came

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to light, politicians, religious leaders, community activists and concerned residents came together

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to denounce the cowardice and to stand against the racism and hate; and

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     WHEREAS, Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams on the principle of religious

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tolerance and is the home to America's oldest synagogue, the Touro Synagogue, in Newport: and

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     WHEREAS, White nationalism and neo-Nazism are continuing to grow as menaces to

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societal order that seek to reignite social animosities, reverse improvements in race relations,

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divide the nation, and foment hatred that leads to ethnic eradication; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby strongly denounces and opposes the totalitarian impulses, violent terrorism, xenophobic

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biases, and bigoted ideologies that are promoted by white nationalists and neo-Nazis; and be it

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further

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

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of

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the United States, the members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, and the Honorable

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Gina M. Raimondo, Governor of the State of Rhode Island.

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