Dear colleagues,
Yesterday evening, a gunman with a weapon he got as a gift for his 21st birthday just months ago used it to murder nine women and men who were at a prayer meeting at a historic African American church in Charleston, S.C.
Police are calling the massacre a hate crime. The victims were black; the alleged shooter, Dylann Roof, is white. In a photo on his Facebook page, he is wearing a jacket with patches known to be symbols of the white supremacist movement.
For far too long, racism has raged in America and the time to stop it is now. As unionists and members of the SUNY workforce, we have a unique opportunity to create positive change. We must work to stop racism and the senseless violence it spurs. UUP can play an important role in the healing process as well.
This tragic event moved me to tape a video today to share these thoughts. You can view the video on the UUP website, at http://uupinfo.org. You can also see it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYvOY8pf1Gc.
Please watch the video and spread the message that racism must end, once and for all.
In Solidarity,
Fred