In Response To Shooting, Progressive Democrats Call For Non-Violence

WASHINGTON - June 15, 2017 - PRLog -- Progressive Democrats of America Executive Director Donna Smith issued the following statement regarding the tragic loss of life in the D.C. area: "I speak for all of us who are so saddened by this latest incident of senseless violence. We ask everyone to please refrain from politicizing this tragedy. This is a time for mourning and reflection. It's a time to call for a reasonable response. To honor those slain and injured, we must commit ourselves to address the fundamental problems that led to this tragedy, and to do so as soon as possible."

Smith concluded, "PDA denounces violence, and we champion peaceful, diplomatic resolution of conflicts both here in the U.S. and around the world. We reiterate our grave concerns about the high level of violence and easy access to guns in America, combined with woefully underfunded mental healthcare. Sadly, the interplay of these conditions repeatedly result in tragedy. We call for non-violence in politics, and urge all sides to refrain from using incendiary rhetoric that could incite violence."

Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots political action committee. The organization was founded in 2004 to transform the Democratic Party and U.S. politics by working inside the party and outside with peace, justice, civil rights, environmental, and other reform movements. PDA's Healthcare Not Warfare campaign brings together the need for a comprehensive and universal healthcare system with our advocacy for scaled-down military spending and reliance on non-military approaches to foreign policy, rather than regime change and military action.

The PDA National Advisory Board includes: Representatives John Conyers, Jr., Barbara Lee, Keith Ellison, Raul Grijalva, and James McGovern; as well as progressive leaders including Academy Award winning documentarian Michael Moore, Actress / Activist Mimi Kennedy, Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler, Author Jim Hightower,  and Radio Hosts / Authors Lila Garrett and Thom Hartmann. Esteemed activists Michael Lighty, Medea Benjamin, Steve Cobble, Kristin Cabral, Bill Fletcher, Jr., Robert Score, and Dr. Paul Song, M.D. also serve on the PDA Advisory Board.

For more information please see http://www.pdamerica.org and contact Executive Director Donna Smith donna@pdamerica.org / 720-256-8373 or Communications Director Mike Hersh mike@pdamerica.org / 301-602-9388