[Prevscilist] Statement of Solidarity

[Benedict McWhirter]

Dear CPHS graduate students and faculty,

I am writing to let you know that this statement was recently released. I think this is important for all of us to know.

I am writing to let you all know that we stand together as a respectful and caring Department community to reject, admonish, and denunciate such hateful acts, manipulated to sound patriotic and caring. The only "empathy" statements we have seen from this administration are weaponized.

I am writing to let you know that we will continue to annunciate that we all stand together to support one another, and, in particular, the most vulnerable among us, in this hate-filled time. We are a community that will survive and thrive. We will continue to reach out to one another, check in with each other, and especially connect with our loved ones, especially those who were, are, or might be undocumented.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-national-day-remembrance-americans-killed-illegal-aliens-2020/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-national-day-remembrance-americans-killed-illegal-aliens-2020/__;!!IKRxdwAv5BmarQ!LhFIvUTvh9hwVJKn4KC9sXuN0LXsOAGztl7i3pMp83mcrFbflDbWiqCdWHIjrE_iuCqQxao$>

Of course, this statement, unsurprisingly, is full of lies. And it is doubly insulting and colonizing because this is intended to override a very important Latinx/Mexican/Central American period of remembrance and love, the Day of the Dead.

I denounce this "National Day of Mourning"

Instead, today, November 1, I will remember:

...Thousands of immigrants seeking asylum from violence only to be tortured at our border through family separation (see the Geneva Convention; Amnesty International definitions of torture);

...545 immigrant children left without parents and parents left without their children because of an abusive US policy;

...African Americans killed by police use of lethal force at a rate that is 2.8 times higher than for whites;

...232,000 human beings killed in the US by Covid-19, as of November 1, too many killed by the administration's malicious incompetence and weaponizing of public health;

...All of you and your families and friends.

I thank Dr. Melanie Domenech-Rodriguez and Dr. Patricia Arredondo and our National Latinx Psych Association colleagues for sending this link around to remind everyone how zenophobic hate is being spurred for personal and political gain.

Try to stay focused and connected this coming week. The rough roller coaster ride we have been on will continue for a while. You all have the resilience to get through it and we have a supportive community to turn to.

Remember the love in your lives and keep up the air-hugs!!

Pax omnis
Benedict

_________________________________________________________
Benedict T. McWhirter, Ph.D.
Professor, Counseling Psychology and Prevention Science
Program Director, Counseling Psychology Program
College of Education
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR  97403-5251

benmcw at uoregon.edu<mailto:benmcw at uoregon.edu>
541-346-2410

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