RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Acts of discrimination, profiling and harassment against marginalized communities have regularly occurred across the country; and
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago supports and protects all its residents and seeks to create a welcoming community which promotes tolerance and acceptance; and
WHEREAS, Hate crimes are a threat not only to the victims but to the community as a whole; and
WHEREAS, Perpetrators of hate crimes seek to dehumanize their victims and to strike fear and terror on specific groups of people in our society; and
WHEREAS, Military personnel are highly visible, both in dress and demeanor; and
WHEREAS, United States Military personnel, both active and veteran, shoulder a heavy load in the protection of this country; and
WHEREAS, As of the 2010 census, active duty military personnel make up less than 1% of the population of the United States, while veterans comprise approximately 7%; and
WHEREAS, There have been numerous reported crimes against military service members dating back as far as the 1960's; and
WHEREAS, Between 1965 and 1970, there were 101 attacks on military service members and military installations; and
WHEREAS, Our Nation has seen numerous attacks on military service members and military installations, including bombings, fires and Molotov cocktail attacks; and
WHEREAS, Most recently, a single gunman attacked both an Armed Forces Career Center and a Naval Reserve Center on July 16, 2015, in two separate Chattanooga strip malls, killing four Marines and a Navy sailor while wounding two others; and
WHEREAS, Additional attacks have occurred at Fort Bliss, Texas in 2015, Fort Hood, Texas in 2014, Naval Station Norfolk in 2014, the Washington Naval Yard in 2013, Washington, D.C. in 2010, Arkansas in 2009, Fort Hood, Texas in 2009 and the high profile attack of the Times Square recruiting center in New York in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Since 2008 there have been at least 35 servicemen and women killed and countless others injured simply for their association with the United States military; and
WHEREAS, The City desires to update its hate crime legislation to include military personnel; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the Chicago City Council hereby denounce violence against our nation's military service members and urge the United States Congress and the State oflllinois to include military service members as a protected class under hate crime legislation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, l hat a copy of this Resolution be provided to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Honorable John Boehner, the Senate Majority Leader, the Honorable Mitch McConnell, the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the Governor of Illinois, the Honorable Bruce Rauner, the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, the Honorable Michael Madigan, and the President of the Illinois Senate, the Honorable John Cullerton.
Ariel Reboyras Alderman, 30lh Ward