Faculty Resolution: Jan. 11, 2021

At its meeting on Monday, Jan. 11, the W&L faculty passed the following resolution in response to the recent violence in the nation's capital:

Resolved: We cannot stay silent in the face of the events that took place at our nation's capital on January 6, 2021. The actions of the rioters there, instigated by President Trump, struck at the very heart of our nation's democratic processes. The faculty of Washington and Lee University condemns in the strongest manner possible the mob conduct that occurred on January 6. We also condemn in the strongest manner possible the systemic racism that animated those riots, and that was demonstrated in the deeply differentiated law enforcement responses to last week's events at the Capitol and last summer's events at Lafayette Square. These abhorrent occurrences underscore once again that the only way to ensure the health of our nation's institutions is to eliminate the scourge of racism and be unwavering in our commitment to equal justice for all.

The Faculty of Washington and Lee University