Rhode Island Representative Patricia Morgan took to Twitter on 12/28 saying, "I had a black friend. I liked her and I think she liked me, too. But now she is hostile and unpleasant. I am sure I didn't do anything to her, except be white. Is that what teachers and our political leaders really want for our society? Divide us because of our skin color? #CRT." 

This comment is offensive and deeply insulting to the Black and Brown community. If Representative Patricia Morgan truly believed we shouldn’t be divided by our skin color, she wouldn’t have made this divisive comment, along with the many other similar comments she has made in the past. Not to mention the piece of legislation she introduced, that if passed, would ban Critical Race Theory in Rhode Island classrooms. Rhode Island should no longer tolerate ideologies, by any political party, that are hateful and divisive–in the media, in policy proposals, and in our everyday lives. We are disappointed to see elected officials who say they are progressive, seek compromise with people who make comments like these.

Condemnation in the media will no longer do. BLM RI PAC is calling for Representative Patricia Morgan’s immediate removal by Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi from the following committees–House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, House Health and Human Services Committee, House Labor Committee, and the House Municipal Government and Housing Committee. Anything less than these substantive actions is another tacit acceptance of racism from the General Assembly that can no longer be tolerated.