Former Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush joined the chorus of lawmakers speaking out to condemn the racist violence that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend.
But the statement, coming one day after President Donald Trump was widely criticized for appearing to draw a moral equivalency between white supremacists and those protesting against them, did not directly address the President’s response.
“America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms. As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city’s most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights,” they said in a joint written statement on Wednesday. “We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country.”
