Laramie County Democrats Condemn 'White Lives Matter' Leaflets: Urgent Call for Unity Against Racism
CHEYENNE, WY – [February 9, 2024] – On March 14, 2022, nearly two years ago, Mayor Collins signed a new anti-bias ordinance into law. He described it as “the most important ordinance I will sign during my term as Mayor.” The ordinance was in response to a spate of discriminatory acts against people of color in local businesses and schools.
The Mayor rightly portrayed the issue as one about the “culture” of our city and CMSgt. Nicholas Taylor, Commander Chief, 90th Missile Wing at the time said that “It takes the whole community, every citizen to be a part of solving the challenges here.”
In this spirit, the Laramie County Democrats are raising the issue of the disturbing “White Lives Matter” leaflets that have recently wormed their way into the homes and businesses of Cheyenne and Laramie County.
The leaflets refer to an “…anti-white trend…” that “…will continue to increase unless White people come together to Defend and support their common interests.” They quote Charles Lindbergh’s call to “band together to …preserve that most priceless possession, our inheritance of European blood” and “…guard ourselves against… dilution by foreign races.” Ominously, the leaflets also include an assertion by H.P. Lovecraft that “…Harmonious coalescence is virtually impossible.”
Section 1. A. of Cheyenne’s anti-bias ordinance asserts that “It shall be unlawful and an offense for any person to maliciously and with the specific intent to intimidate or harass another person because of that person’s race, color,…ancestry…or political affiliation.” Section 1. C. makes it a misdemeanor to “…maliciously and with specific intent to incite…violence… directed against another person because of that person’s race, …publish, or distribute, or cause or allow to be broadcast, published, or distributed, any message or material.”
What do the authors and distributors of this malicious leaflet mean when they call upon white people to “come together to defend…their common interests,” to “band together to preserve their European blood” and “guard against dilution by foreign races” because “harmonious coalescence is…impossible”? Is it reasonable to say that a person of color in our community reading this would feel intimidated or harassed or even that this was intended, to quote the ordinance, to incite “violence directed against that person because of that person’s race?” We ask our city’s governing body to seriously consider whether the anti-bias ordinance applies in this case.
Just as our leaders exhorted us all two years ago, it is time for the whole community to band together in opposition to this kind of racial bias infecting the culture of Laramie County. We call on another important part of our community, the Laramie County Republican Party, who have thus far remained silent on this issue, to join in this effort.
Laramie county is a great place to live. To keep it that way, we all must continue to exercise vigilance and fight back against those who would foment hatred and violence against any part of our community.