Washington, DC — The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice, reacting to the gun violence directed at former President Trump and his supporters and the start of the RNC this week.
“For much of the past decade, America’s Voice has tracked and denounced rhetoric that stokes violence, fuels division, and sows fear. From Charlottesville to El Paso to Pittsburgh to Buffalo and elsewhere, we have witnessed how this language and ideology can have deadly consequences. We’ve urged elected officials, candidates, media outlets, and others with major platforms to recognize and act on their responsibility in tamping down – rather than ratcheting up – the risk of political violence.
We deplore the violence and loss of life from the horrific events of this past weekend in Butler, PA. While our political and policy differences will likely persist, violence is never the answer, and we should promote our ideas responsibly. Meanwhile, efforts to silence the voices of Americans worried about the trajectory of our nation or quell criticism of destructive ideas such as mass deportation and dangerous rhetoric designed to inflame fear and conspiracy theories must be rejected. Americans should continue to use their voices in constructive ways, knowing the way to settle our disagreements is via the voting process, not political violence.”
