Agenda Packet 7-22-19 Work Session

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Resolution -- Page 1 of 3 July 22, 2019, Work Session RESOLUTION NO. _____ A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING WHITE NATIONALISM AND ALT- RIGHT ACTIVITIES AND GROUPS. The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that: A. The Mayor and City Council of the City of Eugene are proud to support policies and efforts that uphold our commitment to protect an individual’s ability to experience a safe, welcoming and inclusive community in Eugene. B. In alignment with City Council’s goal of creating a safe and welcoming community, we value human rights, peace, respect, inclusivity and equity, and recognize that we derive strength from our diversity. C. We acknowledge that scholars consistently define white nationalism as the belief that national identity should be built around white ethnicity, and that white people should therefore maintain both a demographic majority and dominance of the nation's culture and public life across the country. D. We recognize that there has been a rise of white nationalist, white supremacist and alt-right groups in the United States, many of which have been emboldened by the national political dialogue. E. Our community is committed to a just and inclusive democracy. White nationalism places the interests of white people over those of other racial groups, and is an ideology focused on maintaining white political, economic, and demographic dominance, and it is at odds with our vision for Eugene. F. The Oregon Constitution states, "No law shall be passed restraining the free expression of opinion, or restricting the right to speak, write, or print freely on any subject whatsoever; but every person shall be responsible for the abuse of this right.” (Emphasis added.) G. Free speech is a core principle of American democracy. The agenda of white nationalist groups seeks to destabilize American democracy, use fear as a control tactic, divide our community, and promote and ignite social animosities H. We understand that the City of Eugene exists within the historical context of our nation and state. Marginalized communities have experienced generational oppression and traumas related to the decisions made by people and governments in both the past and present. White supremacy groups have a history of advocating for the marginalization of communities of color through government policies. For example, white supremacy groups called for the deportation of Japanese-Americans following Pearl Harbor, leading to government action that resulted in their forced relocation to incarceration camps with deplorable living conditions. Today,