ACLU Statement on Orlando Tragedy

NEW YORK — ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero said the following in response to the Orlando tragedy:

“The Orlando tragedy has shaken us all. At times like this, we must hold close to our core values. Only by doing so can we resist efforts to turn us against one another.

“Our nation’s greatest strength is our diversity — of backgrounds, faiths, and cultures. We believe that LGBT Americans have the right to live and love free of fear and violence. We believe that no one faith group should ever be targeted for pernicious immigration practices or surveillance. We believe discrimination is un-American because it undermines what this nation was created to defend: the right of all people to live, love, and worship as long as they don’t deny others those same rights.

“We must not allow fear and violence to change who we are. Let us show them as one people that they cannot win. America stands for freedom, equality, and the inherent dignity of all individuals. We at the ACLU will continue to champion these American values, enshrined in our Constitution and protected by our Bill of Rights.”