Westport First Selectman Issues Statement On El Paso & Dayton

WESTPORT, CT — Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe on Tuesday issued the following statement in the wake of the mass shootings this past weekend in El Paso and Dayton:

Following the tragic events in Charlottesville two years ago, I publically stated that “there is no place for hatred and bigotry in our country” and expressed our community’s prayers for the victims of that senseless tragedy. Those events led to the “Hate Has No Home Here” movement in Westport and other communities. Last year, after the Parkland, FL tragedy, I again addressed the issue of gun control and sensible gun legislation.

After another weekend of shocking headlines involving mass shootings which obviously have roots in white supremacy, and frankly, two more years of incidents similar to Charlottesville and Parkland, we are still faced with the challenge of inflammatory public rhetoric and hate-filled internet postings and activity. We are fortunate that Westport is represented by national, state and local legislators and elected officials who act and speak responsibly in the face of these divisive issues. They are committed to pursuing and enforcing responsible and effective gun control legislation as well as condemning the racial biases demonstrated by others.

The fact that these incidents are happening on a regular basis is appalling and each time I am asked to address them both personally and in my role as First Selectmen, it is done with an extremely heavy heart.

Although recent national incidents were much more horrific and tragic, the sentiment where I prompted a call to civility and respect to all Westporters after an unfortunate incident during a local public meeting last year holds true today. I stated, “…We will continue to publicly deal with issues and challenges that ignite passions on all sides, but we can’t let those passions create an air of disrespect, intimidation and bullying. I implore all Westport residents to allow their personal and public interactions to be driven by respect, tolerance and a desire to coexist in a positive manner with all of our neighbors.” I will continue to address this issue within our community, and I will continue to denounce any form of hatred, bigotry or cultural bias.