Tim Scott

In racism fight, we all must choose a team

There is nothing “right” about racism and hate. It’s a learned disease, and the best antidote is unity. Last weekend’s events involving white supremacist groups are as disturbing and disgusting as they are heartbreaking. The attack was a stark reminder of the darkness of hate. We must come together, as we have before, to confront the issues that chip away at the foundation of who we are and what we stand for.

Unfortunately, in South Carolina we know this type of domestic terrorism all too well. Our response to the events in Charlottesville, Va., should mirror our response to the murders at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston. Condemnation of racism. Swift justice for a terrorist. And unity for the grieving community. It starts with calling the attack in Charlottesville by its name. This was an act of domestic terror, perpetrated by a hate-filled person attacking fellow citizens.

Our country has a motto that should ring true now as it has many times throughout our history: e pluribus unum, out of many, one. My story is just one story indicative of a larger narrative. As I often say, my family went from cotton to Congress in just one generation. That’s because of the opportunity our nation provides to all its people. Our nation’s strength lies in our diversity. We are powerful and accepting, and should stand ready to defend liberty and justice for all.

I believe that the greatest, underappreciated threat we face is the unraveling that occurs from the inside out. We must stay unified. We must hold true to what makes us who we are as a nation.

We are Americans working towards the American Dream. Nowhere in that dream is there room for racism or hate. It should go without saying that there is absolutely no room for violence. Not in Charleston. Not in Charlottesville. Not anywhere.

Am I angry that racism exists in this country I love so dearly? Absolutely. But I know that it is not indicative of the vast majority of Americans. Overwhelmingly we believe in the words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

I also know that our best chance to defeat racism is in continually expressing our most American of ideals. That we are one nation made of many peoples, one nation under God.

I encourage us all to reach out to those who may hold a different viewpoint and extend a hand. A good friend, Sen. James Lankford, R- Okla., and I launched a Solution Sunday project to help get folks from different walks of life to sit down for a meal and and get to know one another. We should encourage everyone to engage in civil conversation, and to always counter hatred and fear with the blunt force of unity.

We all must choose a team in moments like these. I choose to be on the side of America. That’s my team.