The Humanity Pledge
 
Whereas, since the ratification of its constitution by the people on the fourth Saturday in March, 1870 intolerable acts of racism have resulted in the expiration of life for citizens of Tennessee
 
Whereas, it has been established by the American Physcological Association that racism, racial discrimination and ethnic conflict and violence are pervasive and persisting challenges for the United States of America and therefore the State of Tennessee;
 
Whereas, racism and racial discrimination threaten human development because of the obstacles which they pose to the fulfillment to basic human rights to survival, security, development, and social participation;
 
Whereas, racism, racial discrimination, and related intolerance have been shown to be attitudes and behaviors that are learned;
 
Whereas, racism has been shown to have negative cognitive, behavioral, affective, and relational effects on both child and adult victims nationally, globally, historically and contemporarily;
 
Whereas, racism has been shown to increase anxiety, depression, self-defeating thoughts and avoidance behaviors, and is linked to a host of medical complications in ethnic minority individuals;
 
Whereas, racism has been shown to negatively affect ethnic minority children's academic and social development, self-esteem, and personal feelings of efficacy;
 
Whereas, racism and poverty are inextricably linked and both are risk factors for high levels of emotional distress;
 
Whereas, racism intersects with gender in ways that result in different experiences of inequality by men and women, girls and boys;
 
Whereas, racism negatively affects the cognitive and affective development of members of the dominant group by perpetuating distorted thinking about the self and members of marginalized or oppressed groups;
 
Whereas, racism can promote anxiety and fear in the dominant group members whenever they are in the presence of, or anticipating the presence of, marginalized group members, often leading to acts of hostility and aggression toward ethnic minority individuals;
 
Whereas, both active racism and passive acceptance of race-based privilege disrupts the mental health of both perpetrators and victims of racial injustice;
 
Whereas, the purpose of this memorializing resolution is to raise public awareness of racism and racial discrimination statewide and to mobilize political commitment to eliminate racism and promote full and effective social justice;
 
Whereas, the struggle against racism requires continuing active resistance against it at all levels and areas of the law and the use of legal precedence and practice to promote social justice and human welfare state wide.
 
Therefore I Pledge, as an elected official to denounce racism in all its forms for its negative psychological, social, educational and economic effects on human development throughout the state of Tennessee;
 
I Pledge, to openly stand against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance through efforts focused on elimination of all forms of racism and racial/ethnic discrimination at all levels.
 
I Pledge to: (1) pursue diverse racial representation at all levels of governance, (2) call upon all to eliminate processes and procedures that perpetuate racial injustice (3) call upon all of those in elected office to speak out against racism, and take proactive steps to prevent the occurrence of intolerant or racist acts, and (4) promote research on the alleviation of racial/ethnic injustice.