Houston, TX, November 8, 2017…The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today strongly criticized statements made by Texas Governor Greg Abbott that diminished the value of the innocent lives lost in the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. 

Southwest Regional Director Dayan Gross  issued the following statement:

Governor Greg Abbott’s statement diminishing innocent Texans’ lives and calling for the tragedy in Sutherland Springs to be viewed in the “greater context of history” is deeply
insulting and irresponsible.

We reject the offensive and insensitive remarks made by Governor Abbott contrasting the tragedy in Sutherland Springs to the “Hitler era” and other horrible events in history.
The comparison of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs to the victims of the Holocaust is deeply offensive and an insult to the memories of those killed in Sutherland
Springs as well as the survivors of the church shooting and their families. 

We are concerned about the many instances of gun violence taking place across the country. Unfortunately, we have witnessed the tragic danger of guns in the hands of
determined killers or domestic extremists.  In schools, businesses and houses of worship, individuals have used guns to terrorize communities and local institutions.  We stand
in solidarity with Sutherland Springs and remember the tragic losses in Dallas, Texas; Orlando, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; Newtown, Connecticut;
Antioch, Tennessee; Las Vegas, Nevada, and other mass shootings.

ADL firmly believes, and will continue to advocate, that our leaders can reduce the violence in our communities by enacting tough, effective gun violence prevention measures.
We call upon our state leaders to address this issue responsibly.