Chicago, IL
A dramatic increase in racial, ethnic, religious and sexually-oriented hate crimes in America, rooted in bigotry and intolerance, has touched and angered communities and citizens across the country.
An outbreak of burnings, fire bombings and vandalism has destroyed hundreds of houses of worship with churches of predominantly black membership often the primary targets. Vicious white supremacist groups and ultra right-wing sects have been linked to a growing number of incidents of cross burnings, racist graffiti, hate literature, malicious mail and death threats meant to divide and weaken communities and terrorize the innocent victims of their malice.
The AFL-CIO condemns these hostile acts of cowardly intolerance and the sickening enmity that endangers the principles of freedom, liberty and justice on which this country was founded.
The federation will mobilize its affiliated unions and its state and local labor councils to work actively against the forces of intolerance and bigotry that are behind these crimes. We will work with groups from different faiths and with our allies in civil and human rights organizations to help open an honest dialogue within the communities where these crimes have occurred to foster and create a climate of tolerance and unity, and we will work to help rebuild and restore the houses of worship that have been vandalized by these hate criminals.