August 11, 2015

Dear Fellow Members of the State Central Committee:

Our Republican Creed says, in part, that we believe:
That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities
and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society.
Over the last few weeks, and perhaps few months and years, we have seen what happens
when those who purport to carry our principles misuse and abuse our soapbox for limited and
narrow political gain.
Many of us are very committed to making the Republican Party of Virginia welcoming of
every Virginian who shares our principles, in turn strengthening our ability to share our message
in every community. But, there is a danger that this fundamental principle in our Party Creed
could become just empty words read at meetings, if we do not speak out when Republicans in
visible roles undermine our Party through their use of derogatory terms or innuendo.
Over the last few days, a Republican blogger -- one who has previously carried a proxy to
a RPV State Central Committee meeting and is a primary contributor for a Republican blog used
by a faction of the Party to espouse their viewpoints -- used a word that is often invoked as a slur
to describe individuals who came to this country as refugees fleeing from Communist
dictatorships in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, asking "do we really need hundreds of thousands
of Hmongs in this country?" and declaring that "people are sick to death of illegals and many of
the legals."
The Hmong people were (and remain) anti-communist freedom fighters. The author
implied that even their legal immigration to the United States in the wake of the Vietnam War
was not acceptable, because Not all cultures are equal
As Republicans, we often wonder why our conservative message struggles to be heard
among minority and ethnic populations. When statements such as these come from leaders
within any part of the Republican Party, leaders who set the tone for who we are and what we
believe as Republicans, they render outreach nearly impossible.
The author is entitled to her opinion on the issue, offensive as it may be. However, the
author by her own description is an active member of her local Republican Committee and is one
of the more visible and vocal Republican writers online -- not to mention serving as a State
Central proxy.
Unfortunately, this is far from the only example of what seems to be a message of not
everyone is welcome here. How is anyone going to feel welcome in the Republican Party if we
dont stand up now and say this is not representative of the Republican Party? We must

disassociate ourselves with this bloggers derogatory comment, and we must stop giving a voice
to those who wont respectfully and civilly discuss issues with those with whom they disagree.

What are we asking of you?

First, join us by publicly denouncing this bloggers comment as not
representing the Republican Party of Virginia and emphasizing that we do,
indeed, welcome everyone who is in accord with the principles of our Party.
Second, join us is agreeing that we will not give voice to those who insist on using
pejoratives, slurs and personal attacks on others, whether by membership or
proxy.
Third, and most importantly, join us in pledging to more actively work to make our Party
attractive and welcoming to all Virginians. Not just because it will help us
succeed politically, though it will. We need to do it because it is the right thing to
do.
The RPV Creed has suffered through a great number of misinterpretations as of late. One
that must not be suffered -- whether at the national or state level -- is an interpretation that
demeans and marginalizes others. The Republican Party of Virginia still stands for the principles
of Reagan, and a firm belief that all individuals are entitled to equal rights in a free society, not
just a few special rights based on their background, ethnicity, or place of birth.
We look forward to hearing from you and to working with you, our Chairman and RPV
leadership to build a strong, principled and more diverse Republican Party of Virginia.

Carole deTriquet
Chesapeake

Mike Thomas
Chesterfield