Alongside our colleagues at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, we issued this statement today, in light of the recent anniversaries of the Pulse and Charleston massacres, each of which came during a week that also saw mass shootings at a San Francisco UPS facility and a baseball diamond in Alexandria, Virginia. On the eve of the 47th Annual SF LGBTQ Pride Parade and the 50th anniversary of San Francisco’s famed Summer of Love, now is the time to come together and proclaim our commitment to love, justice, and peace. (PDF here.)
Last week saw the one year anniversary of the massacre at the Pulse night club in Orlando, FL on Latin Night. Some 49 people, most young, LGBTQ, and Latinx, lost their lives to hate. Just a few days later in San Francisco, a UPS driver opened fire at his workplace, killing four, including himself. That same day a gunman in Alexandria, VA opened fire on congressional representatives practicing on a baseball field: many were wounded; one remains in critical condition. And Saturday, June 17th brought the two-year anniversary of the Charleston Church Massacre in which nine African Americans worshipping at the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church were gunned down by a white supremacist who sought to incite a race war.
Regardless of motive, or weapon, or number of victims, all murders are reprehensible, and should continue to shock, even as they become less and less surprising.
On the eve of LGBTQ Pride weekend in San Francisco and the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love, we call for all community members, across the spectrum of political belief and personal identity, to embrace what unites us with more passion than we are drawn to what divides us. And to act on that embrace of love to create equitable and just communities. Violence is never a solution. In almost every dilemma, love–whether of peace, of justice, of community, or of family–always is.
As organizations founded on the respect for human dignity and the value of equity, we know the power of communities, united. We invite you all to join us at the upcoming SF LGBT Pride gatherings for allies and LGBTQI community members of all backgrounds: come to pre-Trans March youth activities, an LGBTQ family brunch the morning of the Dyke March, or march with us at the San Francisco’s LGBTQ Pride Parade on Sunday. See ourfamily.org for event details or sf-hrc.org for more information.
In solidarity,
Renata Moreira
Executive Director, Our Family Coalition
Susan Belinda Christian
Commission Chair, San Francisco Human Rights Commission
