White supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday carrying torches and chanting vile messages of hate toward anyone unlike them. They marched through Virginia. They have marched through many parts of America, including Portland, since November. Two men in Portland lost their lives on a MAX train standing up to a white supremacist bullying two girls and now in Virginia three more lives have been lost. Wherever these extremists go, they stoke fear, ignite violence and try to further divide us. But the force of our love and care for our neighbors will triumph.
We have faced such hatred before, in world wars and in the struggle for civil rights. We stand here again, on the cusp of history, facing a choice.
Why hate when you can love? Why divide when you can connect? Why break when you can strengthen?
As leaders in the Portland metropolitan area, we embrace equity, justice and compassion. As people who call this country home, we feel responsible to live those values and condemn the racist extremists whose goal is to divide and oppress. We send our condolences to the people of Virginia and the families of those killed and injured as a result of Saturday’s violence. We call upon all Oregonians to join us in condemning hateful extremism. We stand with communities of color, the LGBTQ community and religious groups who are in particular affected, and targeted, by this hate.
Working together, we can and will, overcome this blight. We can, and will, build communities that shun hate, offer equitable opportunity and see our differences as cause for celebration, not division. Each of us can take a stand against racism: by supporting community organizations, speaking up when we hear words of discrimination or oppression, and reaching out to support our neighbors who are most affected. We look forward to more dialogue and partnership with our diverse communities as we build a path toward equity and justice together.
For every torch that burns with hate, we must shine a light of love and equality that is a thousand times brighter.
Multnomah County
Chair Deborah Kafoury
Vice Chair Jessica Vega Pederson
Commissioner Sharon Meieran
Commissioner Loretta Smith
Commissioner Lori Stegmann
City of Portland
Mayor Ted Wheeler
Commissioner Amanda Fritz
Commissioner Dan Saltzman
Commissioner Nick Fish
Commissioner Chloe Eudaly
Metro
Council President Tom Hughes
Councilor Shirley Craddick
Councilor Carlotta Colette
Councilor Craig Dirksen
Councilor Kathryn Harrington
Councilor Sam Chase
Councilor Bob Stacey
Clackamas County
Chair Jim Bernard
City of Beaverton
Mayor Denny Doyle
Councilor Cate Arnold
Councilor Lacey Beaty
Councilor Betty Bode
Councilor Mark Fagin
Councilor Marc San Soucie
City of Forest Grove
Mayor Pete Truax
City of Hillsboro
Mayor Steve Callaway
City of Wilsonville
Mayor Tim Knapp
City of Wood Village
Mayor Tim Clark
City of Gladstone
Mayor Tammy Stempel
City of Milwaukie
Mayor Mark Gamba
Port of Portland
Executive Director Curtis Robinhold
City of Gresham
Mayor Shane Bemis
City of West Linn
Mayor Russ Axelrod