Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus condemns racial attacks against marching band at Lancaster County parade

HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus chairman, state Rep. Ronald G. Waters, Delaware/Phila., condemned the recent racial attacks against a high school marching band at a Lancaster County parade, and emphasized his commitment to strengthening laws that protect the innocent.

On October 6, 2010, the William Penn Senior High School marching band of York, PA marched at the Manheim Farm Show in Lancaster County. The band members, who were black, white, and Latino, were the victims of racial epithets and derogatory comments by the predominantly white crowd. Members of the crowd also threw rocks at the William Penn students and sprayed them with soda.

“As chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, a leading body in this commonwealth to advance the interests of African-American, Latino, and other citizens, I strongly condemn the acts committed against these young Americans. The William Penn marching band is a multicultural group of students working together, the way civilization should be. Yet some people are threatened by that,” Waters added.

“While this is 2010, and almost 2011, there are those people who are not moving forward like the rest of the world,” Waters added. “Unfortunately, in today’s climate, there are cross burnings and other hate crimes taking place right here in Pennsylvania-- not fifty or a hundred years ago, but right now. Sadly, for some people in this state and across the nation, civility and decency have been lost and anything goes. Just a few days ago, in a city in Georgia, a white councilman told a black councilman that he should be picking cotton.”

Waters said that a unified force is needed to show that the good will outweigh the bad in the face of racial violence. “In spite of the ignorant behavior on display at the parade, right thinking people need to show an example to our youth. And I commend the organizers of the parade for standing up to the hate and expressing their embarrassment over the incident,” Waters said.

“As legislators one of our main responsibilities is to protect our citizens and to be champions for justice. In doing this we will provide a real service for the citizens of this commonwealth. We must set policies in place to level the playing field of opportunity,” Waters said. “Good laws and policies that will serve as a deterrent and show there are consequences for this type of misconduct. We all must take a stand and make it known that we do not support such actions or tolerate such ignorant behavior,” Waters added.