WHEREAS the Democratic Party consists of a diverse set of people who must promote a truly representative Party, open to all who support its principles; and
WHEREAS the 34th Legislative District Democrats (34th Dems) are committed to maintaining a welcoming, safe, and hate-free environment where all are comfortable, and ask all members join in efforts to ensure inclusion and equity; and
WHEREAS , in the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, all members are expected to make participation in Democratic organizations a harassment-free experience for everyone; and
WHEREAS bigoted, discriminatory, oppressive, or otherwise offensive language is divisive, harmful, and destructive; and
WHEREAS bigotry, discrimination, and oppression threaten our democracy and have no place in American political discourse; and
WHEREAS the 34th Dems define hate speech as “speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion or lack thereof, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, sex, gender identity or expression, LGBTQI (Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transexual Queer Intersex), disability, veteran status, or other traits”; and
WHEREAS the purpose of hate speech is to induce fear or intimidate those targeted so as to exclude them from a space or suppress their voice in disagreement; and
WHEREAS disagreement occurs naturally throughout the democratic process and does not justify nor excuse the use of hate speech; and
WHEREAS the 34th Dems strongly encourage members and visitors to call out violations and deterioration of a welcoming, safe, and hate-free environment – especially perceived or actual verbal or physical attack; and
WHEREAS the use of hate speech represents the antithesis of promoting representation, promoting a harassment-free experience for everyone, positive politics, and respect – thereby violating the Code of Conduct of the 34th Dems, King County Democratic Central Committee (KCDCC), Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC), and the Democratic Party;
NOW, THEREFOR, BE IT RESOLVED that the 34th Democrats:
- Denounce and discourage bigotry, discrimination, oppression, and suppression; and
- Reject attempts to justify bigotry, discrimination, oppression, or suppression as acceptable expressions of anger, frustration, or disapproval; and
- Encourage and support all members and visitors to speak up when violations and deterioration of the values expressed in this resolution occur; and
- Reaffirm our commitment to the Code of Conduct of the 34th Dems, KCDCC, WSDCC, and the Democratic Party; and
- Call on elected officials and candidates for elected office to voice their solidarity with us in these commitments.