Our hearts are breaking once again for victims of violence, this time in San Bernadino. This despicable assault, following so closely on the shooting at the Planned Parenthood office, must lead us to redouble our efforts to put the world on a path of nonviolence even as we try to intercept those planning to commit such heinous crimes.
As we grieve for the latest victims and their families, we must resist the demagoguery that would turn grief into vengeance and expand the catastrophic war on terror.
We must likewise resist the deplorable expressions of xenophobia and stand up for the civil rights and civil liberties of Muslims who are in no way implicated in the crimes of ISIS. To the contrary, we must ensure a pathway to dignity, self-respect and full inclusion in society that will undermine ISIS recruitment to the path of violence.
We must also look to rein in senseless violence where it occurs. In particular, we must end weapons profiteering, that fans the flames of violence domestically and over seas. Whether by Lockheed Martin, Northrup Gruman or the NRA, the promotion of brutality and violence for profit needs to be stopped. Congress and the White House need to stand up to the enablers of terror at home and around the world.
– issued December 5, 2015