Amo Statement on H.Res 719

Washington, DC - TODAY, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI) issued the following statement on H. Res 719:

"The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a tragedy that took a father from his children, husband from his wife, son from his parents, and makes us all less safe. His killing is unequivocally unacceptable.

In the heightened intensity of our political climate, a resolution that divides and reinforces pain does not alleviate political discord or support the principled disagreement essential to American democracy. While the First Amendment entitled Mr. Kirk to spout demeaning and dehumanizing ideas I vehemently disagree with, that same amendment allows me to use my voice to promote kindness and unity for those he disparaged.

As a Black man, I could not in good conscience vote for a resolution that aimed to rewrite history and erase the hateful things Mr. Kirk espoused. We are entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts. While he has many followers who extol his words that may have been positive, the negative parts of his legacy do not warrant high honor or praise. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, 'hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.'

Political violence has no place in our democracy, but meaningful, non-violent dialogue is essential. That is why I am co-sponsoring, H.Res 746, a resolution introduced by my colleague Rep. Marc Veasey that condemns Mr. Kirk's killing and the extreme rise in political violence we have recently witnessed.

I will continue to champion free speech and dialogue, and work to end the scourge of gun violence. While Donald Trump and Republicans are abusing the power of government to silence dissent, I will work to ensure every American, even those with different views than my own, can express their beliefs and opinions without fear of violence or reprisal."

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