November, 06 2017, 10:45am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Email:,press@lawyerscommittee.org
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Statement Condemning Hate-Filled Mailers Circulated Around the Country
Today, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement responding to racist campaign mailers sent to voters around the country targeting minority candidates.
WASHINGTON
Today, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement responding to racist campaign mailers sent to voters around the country targeting minority candidates.
"We denounce and condemn the recent slew of hate-filled mailers circulated around the country which seek to polarize communities, demonize minority candidates and depress minority voter participation in the 2017 election cycle. While every election cycle brings those who are willing to use such unimpeachable language from out of the shadows, these flyers must be understood in the context of an intensifying hate crime crisis currently unfolding across the country. These hateful flyers use language that has now become synonymous with anti-immigrant, divisive and xenophobic policies promoted by the current administration, including the Muslim Ban. Racial campaign appeals are an old and familiar tactic that evidence the discrimination and voter suppression that continues to infect our voting process in this country. We encourage communities to condemn these appeals when they appear and urge federal and state election officials to investigate these seemingly coordinated efforts to determine whether they violate laws that prohibit intimidation or interference with elections."
The Edison flyers calling on readers to "Make Edison Great Again" and the flyer targeting the Sikh Mayoral candidate used language used by President Trump to support his racist, Islamophobic Muslim ban and are a thumb-in-the-eye to the progress we have made to be a more inclusive country.
On Tuesday, November 7, Election Protection volunteers will be available to assist voters around the country with issues, problems, or questions that arise in the voting process. Voters may call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) toll-free from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST. Spanish-speaking voters may seek bilingual assistance through the 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) hotline, also from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST.
The Lawyers' Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar's leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity - work that continues to be vital today.
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