WHEREAS, The tragic events that took place on August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia prove that white nationalism and neo-Nazism remain very real threats to our nation’s social and racial progress; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the course of our nation’s history, white nationalism has promoted intimidation and violent repression of individuals solely on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and immigration status; and

WHEREAS, Today, white nationalism has attempted to reinvent itself, self-identifying as the “Alt-Right,” yet its present-day rhetoric and terrorism conjure painful memories of our nation’s past; and

WHEREAS, While free speech is a bedrock value for Americans, white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups promote agendas that are dangerous to public safety and the welfare of our communities because they incite and promote lawless actions and utilize language for the purpose of inciting an immediate breach of the peace by provoking fights and violence; and

WHEREAS, White nationalism and neo-Nazism are continuing to grow as menaces to societal order that seek to reignite social animosities, reverse improvements in race relations, divide the nation, and foment hatred, classism, and ethnic eradication; and

WHEREAS, The white nationalist and neo-Nazi message of racial and social intolerance has led to senseless acts of violence that continue to terrorize individuals and communities; now, therefore, be it