Mary Gay Scanlon: “I will start by acknowledging the sorrow and terror inflicted upon the families and loved ones of the victims of the…”

“I will start by acknowledging the sorrow and terror inflicted upon the families and loved ones of the victims of the hateful attack in Buffalo last weekend. The brutal murders that occurred in Buffalo were yet another heartbreaking landmark in the growing storm of domestic terrorism impacting communities across America. Whether in Buffalo, Charleston, El Paso, or Pittsburgh, domestic terrorists are being radicalized online, fueled by elected officials and media pundits who either embrace or wink at twisted white supremacist ideology spawned in the darkest corners of the internet and infecting our Nation. Communities across America are terrified, scared to go to their supermarkets, schools, churches, mosques, and synagogues because of the fear that the combination of lax gun laws and unchecked white supremacist conspiracies will have deadly consequences. But with this bill, we are here to say that we are one American community, and we will remain united in the face of these attacks. Where domestic terrorists aim to scare and divide our communities against each other, we must come together and condemn this hateful ideology and give law enforcement the tools to fight its most violent consequences. We are Americans; we are proud of our diversity; and we must choose community over chaos. That is why I am proud to support the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. {time} 1500”