LULAC Joins Coalition In Denouncing Hate Speech
Nation’s Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Speaks Out
Against COVID-19 “Stay-At-Home” Protests in Illinois
Washington, DC - The League of
United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) on Monday joined with a broad
cross-section of civil rights, faith-based and social justice organizations in
a virtual press conference to defend residents in Illinois who have come under attack
for following COVID-19 safety guidelines.
“Recent protests in Illinois have
taken on a very personal and ugly tone filled with antisemitic, racist and even
extremist statements that inflame emotions against diverse communities that are
observing the stay-at-home order and which can easily trigger violence against
them,” said Sindy
Benavides, National Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time,
people need to remember that Latinos have been disproportionately impacted by
the coronavirus in part because five out every six Latino workers cannot do
their jobs from home and in fact, many of them are considered essential workers
who must instead venture out to earn a living. For us, our actions are governed
by necessity not political statements,” she added.
Other groups participating in the
press conference included ADL (Anti-Defamation League), Asian Americans
Advancing Justice of Chicago, Chicago Urban League, Equality Illinois, Gads
Hill Center, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Jewish United Fund of
Metropolitan Chicago, Peoria NAACP, Northwest Side Housing Center, and St.
James Cathedral.
“We wanted to make it clear that
while it is important to respect the freedoms of those who choose to voice
their protests against the guidelines under which we are all living, it is also
vital that our views are respected,” said Benavides. “LULAC can and will oppose
hate speech which can easily lead to actions threatening the safety and
well-being of other innocent individuals and families among Latinos, Blacks,
Asians or any other marginalized community,” she added.
Today’s entire online press
conference can be seen here
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About
LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest
and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic
Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington,
DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s
programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos,
meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.
