FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Trey Pollard trey.pollard@sierraclub.org
Sierra Club Statement on Gun Violence and White Supremacist Attack in Dayton and El Paso
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This weekend, at least 29 people were killed and dozens more were wounded in mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas. While details are still emerging, the shooting in El Paso was reportedly fuelled by anti-immigrant hatred and the toll of wounded may be higher there because some victims may be avoiding hospitals or family reunification centers due to concern over being persecuted because of their immigration status. These shootings are reportedly the 249th and 250th mass shootings in the United States this year.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
"The Sierra Club joins the nation in mourning those lost and the communities forever changed in Dayton and El Paso due to gun violence and white supremacist terrorism -- and we join the overwhelming majority of the public in outrage at the politicians and institutions that enable and fuel these tragedies with deadly policies, racist and xenophobic rhetoric, and inexcusable inaction on gun control.
“Words are no longer sufficient: our leaders must take the action we demand together. The scourge of gun violence, racism, and white supremacy that claimed dozens of lives this weekend courses through our nation’s history, and will doubtlessly lead to more death until we confront it together. The Sierra Club’s mission is to protect both the human and natural environment. That expressly means we rise in solidarity with those targeted by racist hatred and rise against the violence that hatred enables. We join the overwhelming majority of the public that knows we can prevent much of this gun violence with simple, common sense gun control measures and we can reject the deadly hatred pedaled by cowardly politicians when we loudly and boldly organize together to push them from the halls of power.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.