May 7, 2019, Philadelphia, PA… Today, ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) issued the following statement in response to reports that Pennsylvania State Representative Stephanie Borowicz posed for a photo with a member of “American Guard,” a group closely tied to white supremacy, at a gun rights rally in Harrisburg yesterday:
“It is irresponsible for state legislators to pose for selfies with white supremacists,” said Nancy K. Baron-Baer, ADL Regional Director. “ADL can confirm that the individual in the photo is connected to multiple right-wing extremist movements, and there is simply no excuse for anyone in a position of leadership in the Commonwealth to appear to legitimize extremism. Whether or not Representative Borowicz knew who this individual was or what he stood for, she knows now, and should immediately apologize and condemn white supremacy.”
“Bigots have always existed in our country, but they have long been relegated to the margins of American society,” continued Ms. Baron-Baer. “This is changing. We’ve seen white supremacists become emboldened and energized as their views have established a toehold in more mainstream circles. This is not just concerning, it is dangerous. That is why we urge elected officials to push back against the normalization of hate by rejecting bigotry in all its forms.”
As ADL has reported, white supremacists were responsible for the majority of extremist-related killings over the past decade, including nearly 80% of all extremist-related murders in 2018. ADL tracked surges in white supremacist propaganda campaigns on campus and in communities last year, and recorded nearly 250 anti-Semitic incidents attributed to white supremacists. ADL calls on elected officials to take meaningful action to stem the rising tide of bigotry, including vociferously condemning hate and increasing resources to better understand and combat domestic terrorism.
###
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. More at www.adl.org and on Twitter: @ADLPhiladelphia