July 14, 2016

LATINO LEADERS CALL FOR NON-VIOLENCE AT POLITICAL CONVENTIONS

“The most effective tactics in our struggles are active love, solidarity and non-violence"

Washington, D.C. – The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 40 of the nation’s preeminent Latino advocacy organizations, urges all those planning to take part in protests and civil disobedience at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, to refrain from initiating violence, and calls on law enforcement to similarly respect the free speech rights of protesters.

Hector Sanchez, Chair of NHLA and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, made the following statement on behalf of NHLA:

“As we approach the national conventions for America’s major political parties, many Latinos in the United States, including members of our coalition, will converge on Cleveland and Philadelphia to exercise our constitutional right to assembly and free speech, to protest anti-Latino and anti-immigrant rhetoric, and to speak truth to power. We welcome and encourage such participation in our national political discourse. 

“We also know that the injustices facing Latinos and other communities, the derogatory hate speech of some public figures, and hate crimes echoing this rhetoric, have caused great fear and anger in our community. In some instances, we have sadly seen this anger manifest itself in violence.  These violent incidents have no place in the civil discourse we promote.  Violence serves the interests of those who seek to deny justice for the Latino community, and detracts from the overwhelming majority of people who protest peacefully.

“Our work of strengthening the socio-economic and civic standing of Latinos cannot be achieved in a culture of violence.  Violence only creates more hate and fuels a vicious cycle that leads us further away from achieving a fairer and more just society.  We feel strongly that the decisive, most effective tactics in our struggles are active love, solidarity and non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Cesar Chavez and countless others have taught us that non-violent action can achieve great results. It is in their example that we labor for civil rights and encourage all in our community to do the same.” 

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