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Wayne County Commissioners remember mass shooting victims, condemn violence and hate speech

Wayne County Commissioners today paused for a moment of silence to remember victims of the recent mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, El Paso, Texas and Gilroy, Calif. and unanimously approved a resolution which "strongly condemns any hatred toward immigrants already residing or seeking to reside in the United States."

"The gun violence in this country has got to be stopped," commission Chair Alisha Bell (D-Detroit) said while also remembering victims of other mass shootings as well as the 36 Detroit residents killed in the past 30 days.

The resolution, introduced by Commissioner Sam Baydoun (D-Dearborn) states that "the idea of hate often spawns further hate and as a nation we must work together to quell the urge to vehemently disagree publicly which often leads to violence and the loss of innocent lives."

"As we have seen recently, xenophobic remarks have inspired and continue to inspire the extremist elements to carry out these heinous acts of violence against innocent people," Commissioner Baydoun said. "Our Founding Fathers never imagined this kind of a country, where some extremist elements massacre other Americans simply because of the color of their skins. This is totally un-American and this is not what we stand for as a nation. This madness must be stopped."

Commissioner Monique Baker McCormick, a U.S. Army veteran, was among those also calling for Congress to pass an assault weapons ban.

"We don't need military-grade weapons in our closets," Commissioner Baker McCormick said.

In Dayton, nine people were killed and 27 others wounded in a mass shooting that occurred during the early hours of Aug. 4 in the city's entertainment district.

In El Paso, at least 22 people, many of them Mexican Americans, died as a result of a mass shooting in a Walmart store. That attack is being investigated as a hate crime.

In Gilroy, three people were killed and 12 injured at a July 28 community festival in another mass shooting being investigated as a hate crime.

"I'm hopeful Congress will do something on banning assault weapons and let's pray we don't have any more mass shootings in this country," Chair Bell said.

A copy of the resolution is included.

RESOLUTION

No. 2019-

Sponsored by Commissioner Baydoun

WHEREAS, the recent mass shootings across America that have left 34 dead and dozens more injured and recuperating are condemned as well as the hate speech so often delivered by some elected officials; and

WHEREAS, reports from each of the last three shooting tragedies in America - Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio - show that the alleged perpetrators in each case were influenced in various ways by religion and/or ideals and beliefs from many of this country's top leaders; and

WHEREAS, the idea of hate often spawns further hate and as a nation we must work together to quell the urge to vehemently disagree publicly which often leads to violence and the loss of innocent lives; and

WHEREAS, diversity, prevalent throughout Wayne County, and acceptance of one another's traditions and beliefs is what makes the United States stand tall above the rest of the world; and

WHEREAS, the sinister ideologies of racism and bigotry must be condemned and must be defeated if we wish to maintain the moral standards on which America was founded - freedom and the pursuit of happiness for all races, genders and religious beliefs; and

Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, on this 8th day of August 2019, that the Wayne County Commission strongly condemns any hatred toward immigrants already residing or seeking to reside in the United States and those individuals disturbed by opposing ideals and beliefs; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Wayne County Commission urges other elected officials in Michigan to take similar action in condemning the growing rhetoric of hate often influencing the actions of unstable individuals and putting innocent lives in danger.