Hispanic Federation Statement on the Shooting in Dallas, TX

July 8, 2016 (New York, NY) – Hispanic Federation has issued the following statement in response to the tragic shooting in Dallas, Texas.

“Hispanic Federation joins the nation in condemning the shooting last night in Dallas, Texas that resulted in the deaths of five police officers and injuries to seven others. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims and, and most especially, their families. And we join in solidarity with all of the people of Dallas as they mourn the dead and care for the injured.

Unfortunately, given our own experience dealing with the aftermath of the recent shooting in Orlando, Florida, we know that the road to recovery for the survivors and for the community as a whole will be long and difficult. Yet, we also know that in times of crisis, Americans come together to care for one another. We are confident that Dallas and its people are stronger than violence and more resilient than hate.

We are at a historic crossroads in our nation. The injustices of an unfair criminal justice system weigh far too heavily on too many Americans. The struggle for equality and fairness, a struggle that is at the core of our identity as Americans, is difficult but necessary. Yet the events in Dallas, preceded by those in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis, remind us that our national struggle for justice is never served by brutality and violence. In the face of callousness and rage, we must opt for compassion, reason and love. There is no other way forward for our nation.

As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. noted almost fifty years ago, “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding a deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only love can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.””