In response to the violent white supremacist rally and a vehicle attack that killed a woman and injured 19 others in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend, Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Chair Dr. Willie Parker issued the following statement:
“Physicians for Reproductive Health denounces the hateful and violent actions of white supremacists in Charlottesville this weekend.
The fight for reproductive justice and racial equality must be fought hand in hand.
As reproductive health care providers, we are dedicated to helping women and men exercise their right to lives of autonomy, dignity, self-determination, and opportunity—a right that should be afforded to everyone. We serve our patients every day with compassion so that they can make their own decisions regarding their health, their families, and their futures.
White supremacy is a disease of oppression. Daily, I see how racism harms my patients of color and their communities—it keeps them from raising their families, from receiving basic health care services, from living in their communities without fear of discrimination and violence. It is especially at times like these that we must draw from the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.’
The fight for reproductive justice and racial equality must be fought hand in hand. The hate we saw in Charlottesville this weekend is a heartbreaking reminder of how much work there is to do. Together, we must lift up the voices of people of color, listen to them, and go to work. We must not only end discrimination in health care settings, but also in our laws. We must create healthy communities where all people, especially people of color, can thrive.”