Fort Worth, Arlington mayors sign declaration against political violence

At the site of the deadliest domestic terror attack in U.S. history, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Arlington Mayor Jim Ross joined other leaders in signing a declaration denouncing political violence. 

The Oklahoma City declaration, signed by about 40 mayors across political parties on Sept. 26, comes two days after a deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas and weeks after the fatal shooting of political activist Charlie Kirk. 

“We are humans first, Americans second, and partisans last,” the mayors wrote in the declaration. 

The signing of the declaration was organized by the United States Conference of Mayors, a nonpartisan organization for leaders of cities with at least 30,000 residents. 

The group’s president, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, said in a statement that the leaders felt that now was the time to set an example by rejecting political violence. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, which resulted in the death of 149 adults and 19 children. 

“If everyone in American political life affirmed their commitment to the principles in this declaration, we would see a dramatic shift in this country, and it is time for that shift,” Holt said in a news release. 

Throughout the declaration, the elected officials emphasized the importance of debate and compromise, writing that “the American experiment” was built with such ideals in mind. 

“In spite of the experiment’s success, some Americans have still turned to political violence,” the declaration reads. “They have rejected the realities of pluralism, compromise and persuasion. In the wake of every major instance of political violence, our nation has ultimately recommitted to the experiment. As America’s mayors, we make our recommitment with this declaration.”

In the declaration, the mayors committed to “refrain from referring to those Americans with whom we disagree as ‘enemies’ or as ‘evil,’” and using “apocalyptic political rhetoric.”

While the declaration was initially signed by 40 mayors, other mayors across the country can add their signatures, according to a news release. 

The declaration can be read in its entirety here. 

Chris Moss is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@fortworthreport.org.

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