HR0236 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0236 LRB101 11817 MST 58672 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The appalling rise of hate speech and anti-Semitism across the country calls on all who value diversity, respect, and civility as the heart of a functioning democracy to stand united against bigotry and hate of all kinds; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Family Action distributed multiple anti-Semitic, homophobic, threatening, and hateful posts on their official social media page, callously belittling the most appalling tragedies of the Holocaust and recklessly comparing those who disagree with their extreme agenda to Nazis; and

WHEREAS, There was a 37% increase in anti-Jewish incidents reported to the FBI between 2016-2017; and

WHEREAS, There were 1,564 religious-based incidents reported to the FBI in 2017, the second highest level since statistics have been gathered; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, a deadly shooting at our capitol building led to changes to the security procedures in the Capitol Complex; and

WHEREAS, A lobby day sponsored by Illinois Family Action in March 2019 overtaxed Capitol security, resulting in at least three members requiring State Police escorts and multiple calls for assistance from Capitol Police by members and legislative aides; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Poverty Law Center has frequently cited the Illinois Family Institute and Illinois Family Action in their monitoring of hate groups; and

WHEREAS, A group truly driven by faith would realize the pain their rhetoric causes for members of the Jewish community, for whom the horrors of Nazi Germany are all too real; and

WHEREAS, Our legislative body must rise together against this bigoted language collectively and refuse to accept it as the new normal; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with the Jewish Caucus and allied legislators, condemn the extreme rhetoric of Illinois Family Action, call for a formal investigation into the group's hate speech and threats, and ask that the Secretary of State's office suspend the lobbying credentials of any individual working on behalf of Illinois Family Action or its parent organization, the Illinois Family Institute, until an investigation is complete; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call for a review of security procedures in the Capitol Complex, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State and the Illinois State Police, with the goal of review and implementation of needed updates; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we stand in solidarity against hateful, racist, anti-Semitic, and homophobic rhetoric of all kinds and call for decent, respectful debate, especially when we disagree; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Secretary of State, and the Director of State Police.