BASF Statement Regarding Colorado Springs Shooting
November 22, 2022, San Francisco—The Bar Association of San Francisco stands in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and every American in condemning the latest mass shooting, this one at a gay club in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
This latest instance of gun violence adds to the overwhelming evidence that the proliferation of guns is eroding the freedom of all Americans to go about their daily lives without fear for their very lives. If it proves to be the case that the gunman at Colorado Springs deliberately targeted the LGBTQIA+ community, it will be another example of the targeting of a vulnerable population in a nation increasingly riven with hatred and mistrust of perceived outsiders.
As legal professionals, we reaffirm our dedication to combating intolerance and hatred and ensuring our collective safety from future acts of senseless violence. We respond with compassion, empathy, and unwavering support for diversity and inclusion, not with divisive rhetoric. We stand with Colorado Springs. With heavy hearts, we remember the Colorado Springs victims and the heroic actions of unarmed clubgoers.
The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) is a nonprofit voluntary membership organization of attorneys, law students, and legal professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 1872, BASF enjoys the support of more than 7,500 individuals, law firms, corporate legal departments, and law schools. BASF provides a collective voice for public advocacy, advances professional growth and education, and attempts to elevate the standards of integrity, honor, and respect in the practice of law.