Kurt Schrader Must Resign, A Joint Opinion
We are a group of diverse Oregonians deeply concerned about the safety of our democracy. On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, we witnessed a white supremacist assault on our democracy by supporters of the president.
In the aftermath of the attempted coup d’état, Congressman Kurt Schrader made remarks to his House colleagues equating the consideration of impeaching the president to lynching. This is unacceptable. Seeking to equate the legal, constitutional practice of impeachment of a president, especially one who has incited insurrection, with lynching is abhorrent. Schrader has since apologized, but the damage is done. His initial words and actions are a stark indication of an elected official who does not understand systemic racism in America.
Representative Schrader may not be aware of the ways white supremacy has shaped our nation. The freedoms enshrined in the U.S. Constitution were not extended to Indigenous and Black people by design. These two groups have been systematically cut out of the promise of America by law and by practice. White mob violence against Black people in the form of lynching has been used in our country to terrorize Black people in service of maintaining the white supremacist political and social order. Oregon has not been immune from that violence. On September 18, 1902, Alonzo Tucker, was lynched by a mob of armed white men in Coos Bay (then known as Mansfield). Mulugeta Seraw was hunted down and murdered by a group of white supremacists in Southeast Portland on November 12, 1988. These are just two examples of racist mob violence in Oregon and there are many others.
Make no mistake, the assault on the nation’s Capitol we watched in horror last Wednesday was not a random act of violence. It was a direct response by white supremacists to the record number of Black voters in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and Indigenous and Latinx voters in Arizona and Nevada exercising their right to vote in both the 2020 Presidential election and the Georgia Senate Runoff election.
It is no accident that those attacking the Capitol chose to erect scaffolding and hang a noose, an undeniable symbol of lynching, accompanying the other symbols of white supremacy and antisemitism in the insurrection. This behavior is deeply, unmistakably racist, and surely recognizable to Congressman Schrader.
We call for Congressman Schrader to resign immediately. Taking a position against impeachment undermines our democracy and is indefensible. Oregonians demand more of our elected officials in the 21st century. We have demonstrated in big cities and small towns across the state, in front of our state capitol, and on the streets of our nation’s Capitol to declare Black Lives Matter. Schrader’s words and actions represent a serious breach of trust with his constituents and with ALL Oregonians. His continued representation of Oregon, especially Black people and other communities of color is no longer acceptable. We expect our elected leaders and institutions to serve all people equitably and fairly. Congressional District 5 deserves better leadership.
Signed,
Rebecca Arce, Latina and Mother, Constituent
Rebecca Salinas-Oliveros, Monmouth City Councilor, Constituent
Sandra Hernandez, Director of Latinos Unidos Siempre, Constituent
Jessica Ventura, Constituent
Andrea Williams, Constituent
Colin K. Crader II, Constituent
Sam Crane, Constituent
Bill Dalbey, Toledo City Councilor, Constituent
Ashley Carson Cottingham, JD, Constituent
Mitzi Bauer, Constituent
Tessah Danel, Clackamas River Water Commissioner, PCP Clackamas County Democrats, Constituent
Mary E Ehly, Constituent
Ira Erbs VP At-Large AFT, Constituent
Star Khan, REFORMA Oregon Immediate Past President, Constituent
Malea Kirkland, Constituent
Kelie McWilliams, Constituent
Wanda Davis, PCP Polk County Democrats, Constituent
Amanda Deyerle-Olney, Constituent
Mark Gamba, Mayor of Milwaukie
Claire Hall, Lincoln County Commissioner, Constituent
Sandra D. Koops, Constituent
Annie Naranjo-Rivera, former Vice Chair, Tillamook County Democrats, Constituent
Rev. Dr. Dawn M. Reynolds, Secretary, Polk County Democrats, Constituent
Jonathan Smith, PCP, Clackamas County Democrats
Beth Vaughn, Chair, Polk County Democrats, Constituent
Pamela White, Board of Directors, Oregon City School District, Constituent
Manumalo S. Ala’ilima, Community Organizer
Adalina Capuli Merello
Diane Coward, Lineametrics Group, LLC
Rosa Colquitt, PhD, Greater Portland, National Organization for Women
Michelle DePass, Portland Public Schools Board of Education
Nancy Haque, Basic Rights Oregon
Kathy Hyzy, Milwaukie City Councilor
Shilpa Joshi, Renew Oregon
Sushmita Poddar. Washington County Civic Leader, Entrepreneur, Small Business Owner
Anita Yap, Small Business Owner
Mary Carroll, Child and Family Advocate
Alysia Cox, Precinct Committee Person
Beth Crane, EMPA
Diana Dickey, Former Salem City Councilor
Danielle Dropper
Angel Falconer, Council President, Milwaukie City Council
Amy Fellows, Non Profit Leader
Walt Nichols, Community Organizer
Greg Petersen
Debra Porta, Citizen
Antonio Huerta, Non Profit Community Organizer
Melanie Kebler, Bend City Councilor
Alissa Keny-Guyer, former State Representative, HD 46
Heather Millehrer-Huerta, Springfield Public Library Advisory Board
Rita Moore, PhD, Portland School Board
Cheri Partain, MSW, House District 35 Leader
Mary Peveto
Joan Sands
Mary Schutten, Educator & Greater Portland NOW
Kristin Teigen, Anti-racist Educator
Roey Thorpe, Business Owner
Rose Wilde, Lane ESD Board Member
Beth Woodward, Racial Inclusivity Work Group, Multnomah County Democratic Party
Ka ʻAha Lāhui O ʻOlekona Hawaiian Civic Club of Oregon and SW Washington (KALO HCC)
Samoan Pacific Development Corporation (SPDC)
Tongan Community Association
Tongan Women’s Association (TWA)
United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance Portland (UTOPIA PDX)
Greater Portland Chapter, National Organization of Women
Showing Up for Racial Justice Springfield-Eugene Chapter
