Just as Defenders of Wildlife will always ensure wildlife has a voice – so too must we speak up in solidarity for civil rights, social justice and an environment of inclusivity.  I am proud to list Defenders of Wildlife as one of 26 organizations that signed this letter to President-Elect Trump on behalf of the environmental community, and all of the people – and wildlife – who are a part of it.  Thank you for standing with us.

-Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife

Environmental Leaders’ Statement on Civil and Human Rights,Social Justice and an Inclusive Economy

As leaders of the U.S. environmental movement, we are mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, white, black, Latino, Asian, Native American, of many creeds, faiths and religions. We come from diverse backgrounds and near infinite preferences and beliefs. But above all, we are concerned individuals and concerned members of the human race.

For these reasons, we join our voices with millions across the United States and around the world who are speaking out against the intolerance we are witnessing because we believe in justice for all and equal protection under the law. We will advocate to protect our rights to clean air and water, to dwell in a livable climate and to exercise our freedom of religion and cultural beliefs. We are united in guarding our natural spaces, and preserving the diverse and abundant life that shares our world.

We stand in solidarity with national and global movements for civil rights and social justice, to end structural racism and to empower women, people of color, immigrants, indigenous, disabled, and LGBTQi people as fully equal and fully safe members of our society. We will champion efforts to foster an inclusive economy that is both just and sustainable.

The environmental movement is, at its heart, about protecting the home we all share, not just for ourselves but for the generations to come. There is a place for everyone in that home. But there is not a place for hate. We have witnessed with alarm the rapid, abhorrent and dangerous rise in racist and violent acts in communities across the nation in the wake of the election, and we condemn the language and actions during and since the election that have fostered or encouraged those acts.

We will oppose hatred and abuses of civil and human rights because they are incompatible with a just and sustainable future. Creating that future requires inclusion and equality – and the unequivocal defense of both.

We call on our allies that have not yet done so to join us in solidarity with frontline communities, beginning with making a public statement and pledging to support building an inclusive future for all communities.

And we call on President-elect Trump to put out a statement that is inclusive of all people, expresses respect and understanding for the fears many Americans are now feeling, and upholds the unique and grave responsibility of the Presidency to protect all Americans equally. In doing so, we demand that all his nominees and appointees honor fundamental civil rights and embody civility befitting the offices for which they have been selected. Therefore, we call on the President-elect to rescind the appointment of Steven Bannon as Chief Strategic Advisor and withdraw the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General to signify his move to represent all equally and protect the rights of all people.

Protection of our planet is an absolute necessity for the survival and health of the human race and other species. And a strong commitment to human rights for all is a fundamental building block to the protection of our planet.

 

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