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Center for Disability Rights part of Coalition that Declares Victory After Cancellation of Anthony Tata Hearing, Calls for Withdrawal
From Press release:
Cancellation Comes After Sustained Coalition Effort Against Deeply Bigoted and Unqualified Nominee
Washington, DC — On Thursday, the Senate Armed Forces Committee abruptly cancelled a hearing on the nomination of Anthony Tata to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Pentagon moments before it was set to begin. Yesterday, Muslim Advocates and a coalition of civil rights and veterans groups hosted a press call urging senators to oppose Tata’s nomination because of his long history of mismanagement and offensive, anti-Muslim, anti-Black words and acts. Muslim Advocates, NAACP, the Center for Disability Rights, the American Federation of Teachers and the Southern Poverty Law Center also organized opposition from over 50 civil rights groups in opposition to the nomination
Full press release here: https://muslimadvocates.org/2020/07/coalition-declares-victory-after-cancellation-of-anthony-tata-hearing-calls-for-withdrawal/
The Center for Disability Rights joined 50 civil and human rights organizations telling the Senate about our concerns and opposition for the nomination of Anthony Tata to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 a law passed under and signed by President George H. Bush, we want all to know that Mr. Tata does not have a good record on upholding this imperative civil right for disabled people. He has a record of violating disability rights and laws. Disabled people include veterans and other people in the military community like disabled children of military families.
He also has a history of using racists rhetoric. We believe in ending hate. We also know that disabled people are a part of multiple communities as part of Intersectionality and therefore they are discriminated against in many ways for their multiple identities, which have been a part of the recorded hate Tata is known for participating in.
From the letter:
On behalf of more than 50 organizations representing civil and human rights advocates, people of color, people of faith, teachers, students, disabled people, and allies, we strongly urge you to vocally and unequivocally reject the pending nomination of Anthony Tata to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
Under Tata’s leadership, Wake County schools discriminated against disabled students and Latinos. His time at Wake County schools was marred by allegations of violating various civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for refusing to provide Spanish-speaking parents with information related to special education services and processes and information about long-term suspensions. 10
Tata’s use of racist rhetoric shows a deep disregard for Black people and victims of police violence. ● He called veteran Congresswoman Maxine Waters a “vicious race baiting racist” for her defense of Rodney King, a victim of police violence. 1 ● He invoked plantation slavery to criticize a Black news anchor. 2 ● He repeatedly invoked the “birtherism” conspiracy theory about President Obama. 3
Link to the full letter:
For more information on this work please contact Dara Baldwin, Director of National Policy at dara.baldwin@ncdr.us