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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The tragic events that took place on August 12,
32017, in Charlottesville, Virginia prove that white
4nationalism and neo-Nazism remain very real threats to social
5and racial progress; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Throughout the course of our nation's history,
7white nationalism has promoted intimidation and violent
8repression of individuals solely on the basis of their race,
9ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and immigration
10status; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Today, white nationalism has attempted to
12reinvent itself, self-identifying as the "Alt-Right", yet
13their present-day rhetoric and terrorism conjure painful
14memories of our nation's past; and
 
15    WHEREAS, While free speech is a bedrock value for
16Americans, white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups promote
17agendas that are in irreconcilable conflict with our nation's
18foundational principles of liberty and justice for all; and
 
19    WHEREAS, White nationalism and neo-Nazism are continuing
20to grow as menaces to societal order that seek to reignite
21social animosities, reverse improvements in race relations,

 

 

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1divide the nation, and foment hatred, classism, and ethnic
2eradication; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The white nationalist and neo-Nazi message of
4racial and social intolerance has led to senseless acts of
5violence that continue to terrorize members of ethnic and
6religious minority communities; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
8ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we strongly denounce
9and oppose the totalitarian impulses, violent terrorism,
10xenophobic biases, and bigoted ideologies that are promoted by
11white nationalists and neo-Nazis; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That we urge law enforcement to recognize these
13white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups as terrorist
14organizations, and to pursue the criminal elements of these
15domestic terrorist organizations in the same manner and with
16the same fervor used to protect the United States from other
17manifestations of terrorism; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
19delivered to the President of the United States, all members of
20the United States Senate, all members of the United States
21House of Representatives, the Governor of the State of
22Illinois, and all members of the Illinois General Assembly.