Hillary Clinton Pens Open Letter to Charleston

On the one year anniversary of the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church that claimed the lives of nine people, Hillary Clinton published an open letter to the citizens of Charleston, South Carolina remembering the victims of the shooting. Clinton mentioned each victim by name before discussing the work that still needs to be done to enact stronger gun control laws including provisions that would require a background check before the purchase of a firearm and barring those on the FBI’s terrorist watch list from purchasing a gun. A copy of Clinton’s letter is below:

Friends —

One year ago today, our nation lost nine precious lives. They were mothers and fathers, students and coaches, pastors and choir members. They were men and women of faith, each filled with passion and love, and with so much left to give. For many, time has done little to dull the pain of their loss. I still remember my grief and confusion when I heard the news. But their deaths have not been in vain.

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things,” Scripture teaches us. “Love never fails.”

On that evening in the “Mother Emanuel” AME Church, Clementa, Cynthia, Susie, Ethel, DePayne, Tywanza, Daniel, Sharonda and Myra lived out the lessons of their faith, like always — welcoming a stranger for prayer and fellowship, offering love without a second thought.

Their spirit of love remained long after they were gone. In court, one by one, grieving parents and siblings looked at the young man who had taken so much from them and said, “I forgive you.” And the entire Charleston community — black and white, Christian, Muslim and Jewish, and so many others — came together to stand up to hate and bigotry, providing love to one another instead.

Filled with that love, we have made progress. The Confederate flag that flew on the South Carolina State House grounds has been removed. Young people have called out for much-needed reforms to our criminal justice system. Mothers who lost their children to gun violence are channeling their grief into action and turning their mourning into a movement for common-sense gun reform.

But we have much more to do.

Another mass shooting, in Orlando, broke our hearts earlier this week. An average of 90 people a day are killed by gun violence in our country. This must stop. A good first step is closing the “Charleston Loophole” in our gun laws, which allows a person otherwise prohibited from buying a gun — such as a domestic abuser or other violent criminal — to buy one if a background check isn’t completed within three business days. This loophole allowed the alleged Charleston shooter to buy his gun despite his prior arrest record. How many more innocent people need to be cut down before we act and close this dangerous loophole?

On that terrible evening and every day since, Americans across the country have joined our hearts with the people of Charleston and South Carolina. Millions of Americans are still walking with them — in grief, solidarity and determination.

In the spirit of the Charleston Nine, let’s bridge our divides, fight for change and remember that love never fails.

With solidarity and warm regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

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News Source: CNN

Hilary Clinton Endorsed by BCTGM

On Thursday, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) announced that it was endorsing Hillary Clinton for President of the United States. In a statement, BCTGM President David B. Durkee said, “Hillary Clinton has had a solid record of support on those issues most important to working families and union members, including workers’ rights and  organizing, workplace health and safety, health care, progressive tax policy and retirement security.” Clinton released a statement saying that she is proud to have earned the group’s endorsement, and she vowed to fight for union rights. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.

Members of the BCTGM don’t just help feed America—they helped build the greatest middle class in history.

Members of the BCTGM know, as I do, that we are stronger together, when we are investing in our people and in the future. That’s why I have a comprehensive manufacturing agenda to create good-paying jobs and spur new industries—because we can and we will “make it in America.” I was honored to meet with BCTGM members in Chicago earlier this year who had been trying to work with Nabisco to keep good-paying jobs in America. For years, Nabisco had received tax breaks and investments from the people of Chicago and the people of Illinois to expand production—only to turn their backs on their workers and on the community by announcing plans to shut down the long-standing factory and move production to Mexico. That’s wrong. And that’s why I have called for creating a “clawback”—if a company turns its back on America, they should have to pay back every penny of the tax breaks they have received, and we’ll use that money to reinvest in affected workers and communities.

As President, I will always have workers’ backs. I will stand with the BCTGM to fight for workers’ rights to organize, to bargain collectively, to be safe on the job, and to retire with dignity and security after years of hard work. Workers will always have a seat at the table and a champion in the White House—because when workers are strong, America is strong.”

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News Source: BCTGM