Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement in response to the overnight shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs that left five dead and nearly 20 wounded:
“On Transgender Day of Remembrance, we woke up to news of another tragic mass shooting, this time targeting an LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs. Every day, Americans United works toward a world in which we all can live as ourselves and believe as we choose. Violence has no place in that world. Americans United is with the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado Springs and everywhere.
“Though we don’t yet know the motivations of this attack, the club was preparing for a drag brunch to celebrate Transgender Day of Remembrance, according to reports. Religious extremists and other militants have increasingly directed stochastic terrorism at the LGBTQ+ community. Violence like this is the predictable end result. There can be no freedom for any of us in America until we are all free to live our lives without fear that we will be harmed because of who we are, what we look like or what religion we practice.”
Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
Press Contact
Liz Hayes
Associate Vice President of Communications
[email protected]
