REFERENCE TITLE: white supremacists; domestic terrorists

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

2021

HCR 2033

Introduced by

Representatives Hernandez D: Chávez, Hernandez A, Longdon, Meza, Rodriguez, Salman, Terán

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

proclaiming white supremacists to be domestic terrorists.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Whereas, the tragic events that took place on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, and on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C., prove that white nationalism and neo-Nazism remain very real threats to social and racial progress in this country; 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 the present-day rhetoric and terrorism that these groups embrace 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 in irreconcilable conflict with our nation's foundational principles of liberty and justice for all; and

Whereas, white nationalism and neo-Nazism have continued 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 and the fomenting of insurrection that continue to terrorize members of ethnic and religious minority communities.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

1.    That the Members of the Legislature strongly denounce and oppose the totalitarian impulses, violent terrorism, xenophobic biases and bigoted ideologies that are promoted by white nationalists and neo-Nazis.

2.    That the Members of the Legislature support law enforcement agencies in treating these white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups as terrorist organizations and in pursuing the criminal elements of these domestic terrorist organizations in the same manner and with the same fervor used to protect the United States from other manifestations of terrorism.