}

Sen. Mitch McConnell,

As people of faith, we seek to build a beloved community free from the tyranny of white supremacist terrorism and gun violence. We grieve the loss of life and the trauma unleashed by these evils most recently in Dayton, El Paso and Gilroy, Ca., as well as in houses of worship such as Chabad Poway in San Diego and Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. 

We must do everything in our power to ensure the safety, dignity and equality of all people -- particularly those who are targeted by the white nationalism that proliferates everywhere from hateful websites to the White House. Our elected leaders must shoulder this moral responsibility as well. 

In this hope, we demand that the Senate, with your leadership, immediately take up and pass serious gun safety legislation. The House of Representatives has already passed two bipartisan bills that close loopholes in the background check system, and public support for bans on assault weapons is strong and growing. 

We also call on you as the Republican Senate Majority Leader to denounce the dehumanizing, racist, violence-inciting rhetoric of President Trump and urge other Republican lawmakers to condemn rhetoric that demonizes people on the basis of race, religion and immigration status for political gain. 

Through our faith, we work together to bring about the day when every person in every community is valued, respected and protected from the scourge of white supremacy and gun violence.  Our family, friends and neighbors are dying. We call on you to join us in honoring their memory by defeating the evils that steal their lives. 

In faith,