Anne Arundel Groups Demand Anti-Hate Resolution Condemning White Nationalism and Racism
Severna Park, MD (May 24, 2017) – A coalition of civil rights and political groups are calling on Anne Arundel County Councilman Michael Peroutka to introduce the Richard Wilbur Collins III Anti-Hate Resolution condemning racism and white nationalism before the County Council.
There have been a series of racial incidents that have occurred involving residents from Anne Arundel County. Several weeks ago, two white Crofton men were arrested after placing a noose around a light fixture at Crofton Middle School.
Days ago, police charged Sean Christopher Urbanski, 22, of Severna Park, with the fatal stabbing Saturday of Richard Wilbur Collins III, 23, an African-American student at Bowie State University and recently commissioned Army 2nd Lieutenant. It was also discovered by FBI agents — who are investigating the incident as a hate crime — that Urbanski had associations with a white supremacist group.
Councilman Peroutka, who represents Severna Park, has not issued a public statement condemning the alleged crime or offering condolences to the family of the victim.
“We believe that Councilman Peroutka, who has been associated with a white nationalist group, has a moral obligation to introduce a resolution condemning both racism and White Nationalism,” said Carl Snowden, Civil Rights leader and convener of the Anne Arundel-based Caucus of African American Leaders.
The coalition of groups believes recent events have proven that racist beliefs and hate-filled ideologies lead to horrific circumstances and insecurity for people of color in Anne Arundel County. “We call on Councilman Peroutka to introduce a resolution before the Anne Arundel County Council putting the county on record,” said Arnold resident Yasemin Jamison, who leads a group of over 800 progressive activists in Anne Arundel County Indivisible.
“I am a constituent of Councilman Peroutka. I was dismayed when he was determined to bring forth a resolution against the Maryland Trust Act that would have protected Immigrants. I find it even more disturbing that he has said nothing about protecting people of color from racially motivated attacks by whites in his district,” said Jamison, an American citizen born in Turkey.
“We are disgusted with the lack of coverage on this tragedy,” said Eve Hurwitz of Progressive Maryland Anne Arundel County and March on Maryland. “If this had been racially reversed, there would be all kinds of condemnations.”
“This murder is so horrific,” said Sonia Feldman of Action Annapolis, a political group with several hundred members working on issues in the city and county. “We need to pressure the people who actively and passively condone this kind of hatred and brutality.”
“After the murder of Bowie State student Richard Collins III, it is vitally important that all Maryland citizens denounce hate groups like the Maryland based ‘Alt Reich,'” said Peter Cane, an Annapolis resident and member of Anne Arundel County Indivisible. “As an elected Maryland official, Councilman Michael Peroutka must explain to all of Maryland his past leadership in the secessionist hate group League of the South, and disavow all forms of racial discrimination.”
Anne Arundel County groups calling for the Richard Wilbur Collins III Anti-Hate Resolution include:
Caucus of African-American Leaders, Anne Arundel County
Progressive Maryland AA County
WISE Indivisible, Severna Park
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