The Party for Socialism and Liberation condemns the recent attacks on LGBTQ and immigrant rights by two Lancaster County Commissioners: Josh Parsons and Ray D’Agostino.
An Attack on the LGBTQ Community
Earlier this month on social media, in the local news and at commissioner meetings Parsons and D’Agostino attacked “Drag Queen Story Hour” hosted by Lancaster Library.
The benefits of Drag Queen Story Hour are clear: it provides educational entertainment for children and their families, as well as positive representation of members of the LGBTQ+ community. But these right-wing politicians have been actively trying to disrupt and end the program by using dog whistles and other false narratives.
For example, in a Facebook post Parsons wrote “…Libraries should be places for kids to safely read and learn, not politicized social laboratories for woke ideology.” For Parsons, D’Agostino, and other far-right politicians, “woke ideology” is a dog whistle for the LGBTQ+ community or anyone who stands with the community. Conflating “woke ideology” and Drag Queen Story Hour implies that the LGBTQ+ community are a threat to the children they interact with.
An Attack on Immigrants
Furthermore, this week the same commissioners will also be introducing Resolution No. 33 of 2024 “Resolution Declaring Lancaster County A Non-Sanctuary County, Setting Priorities And Expectations In Response To The Potential Influx Of Illegal Immigrants Into Lancaster County And Calling Upon The President Of The United States To Take Action To Mitigate The Crisis At The Southern Border.” This resolution seeks to undo the Sanctuary City status of the City of Lancaster and increase collaboration between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.).
This resolution is designed to further criminalize individuals and families who work and live in Lancaster County. More collaboration with I.C.E. will potentially rip apart families, neighborhoods and schools. The fear of deportation by I.C.E. will make it even more difficult for already marginalized communities to seek social services and support. Immigrant workers will likely face deeper exploitation with the threat of deportation at their boss’s disposal. So much for demanding your rights and the protection sanctuary status offers. Of course many immigrants coming to the U.S. are fleeing violence and instability caused by U.S. foreign and economic policy.
Pandering to the Far-Right As Election Season Heats Up
The reason for these attacks by Parsons and D’Agostino are clear: they wish to further marginalize specific communities and spread fear into all of our working class communities. They also seek to gain cheap political points with the far-right Republican base before an election. Instead of advocating for more investments in affordable housing, education, better infrastructure, workplace conditions, or any other issue that affects the daily lives of working class people, they attack sections of the working class in hopes of distracting us.These are classic strategies by the ruling class to divide workers and oppressed communities.
The People United Have a World to Win
As socialists, we build solidarity among all workers regardless of sexual identity, gender, immigration status, or nationality. The ruling class wants us to fear each other, but we know our true enemy: capitalism. Capitalism and the billionaires on top are who Parsons and D’Agostino serve. They have no interest in the working class people of Lancaster. But we are the working class and we will continue to stand with our LGBTQ and immigrant communities and fight for the total liberation of all peoples!
The PSL stands with all people organizing to defend our LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities!
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