Today, Congressman Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Township), member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, issued the following statement on the mass shooting and white supremacist hate crime in Buffalo, NY that claimed ten lives:
“As a longtime advocate for gun reform and avid warrior for racial justice, I am devastated by the massacre this weekend in Buffalo, NY, where a white supremacist deliberately targeted a grocery store in a predominately Black neighborhood. It’s particularly concerning that the shooter was motivated by a dangerous, antisemitic conspiracy theory. It must be noted that this egregious, harmful theory has inspired other violent attacks and is routinely espoused by Republican members of Congress and on conservative media outlets. I am heartbroken for this community and Black Americans across the country who continue to face the omnipresent threat of white supremacist violence.
“It is clear that the lack of reconciliation with our nation’s past continues to harm historically marginalized communities in the present. We have so much more to do to dismantle racist systems that have infected our country and indeed were part of our foundational documents. To begin a comprehensive process of healing and restoration, Congress must pursue reparations for Black communities and further antiracist education in our schools. Without a doubt, we must commit to fighting white supremacy on every front and in every arena, from our neighborhoods to the halls of Congress. Our communities cannot continue to suffer.
“Finally, we must at long last pass comprehensive gun violence legislation to ensure firearms cannot reach the hands of violent white supremacists or any individual who demonstrate that they are a danger to themselves or others. Thoughts and prayers are no longer—and have never been—enough. I will continue to call on my colleagues in the Senate to abolish the Jim Crow-era filibuster that hinders us from acting meaningfully to save lives.
Source:https://andylevin.house.gov/media/press-releases/levin-condemns-white-supremacist-terror-attack-buffalo
