June 19, 2015
By Harold Daggett
The International Longshoremen's Association and its 45,000 members offer their collective prayers to the victims and families of the nine parishioners murdered at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
The victims included relatives of an ILA member, Tyrone Saunders, who lost his youngest son and his aunt in this senseless tragedy. Once again, the beautiful port city of Charleston must come to grips with an unspeakable violent act, fueled by hatred and bigotry, resulting in the loss of nine innocent lives.
We collectively embrace our Brother Tyrone and offer the support and prayers of the ILA, including its South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District and Atlantic Coast District. We hope that the person or persons responsible for this crime are brought to justice and that the City of Charleston, South Carolina and our nation may mourn the loss and begin the process of healing. Let us honor the deaths of these nine parishioners by recommitting ourselves to eliminating all forms of hatred, and bigotry in our nation.
Harold Daggett is president of the International Longshoremen's Association
