Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the attacks on the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino. Ten of the 14 killed were SEIU Local 721 members ensuring the health and safety of their community. We echo the thoughts of SEIU President Mary Kay Henry: “We can honor those who have lost their lives and who will never be the same by uniting to demand that our nation does everything to ensure that no more families have to feel this pain, sadness and loss ever again.”
The tragedy in San Bernardino has not only shaken our nation but has impacted our SEIU Local 99 family very close to home. We are saddened to report that one of the victims, Sierra Clayborn, was the granddaughter of SEIU Local 99 Retired Member Bessie Clayborne. We send our prayers and thoughts to Bessie and her family and to all those who have been impacted by this terrible tragedy.
Here is a statement from President Barack Obama to the SEIU family:
Our hearts are broken over the terrorist attack that occurred at the Inland Regional Center – a tragedy that took the lives of 14 innocent Americans. We stand with the people of San Bernardino. We stand with the families who lost loved ones. And we stand with the SEIU family, as you grieve for 10 of your own members. These Americans were not only dedicated to serving their community. They were also dedicated to making sure that they and their fellow
service workers had the chance to earn the middle-class lives they worked so hard for. They embodied the values that make America great.
We are still gathering the facts about what happened in San Bernardino – but we now that the killers were terrorists who had stockpiled deadly weapons to kill innocent people. We know also know that we see this kind of violence too often – and we cannot accept it as normal in America, no matter how often it happens in America. Today, we mourn the beautiful lives of those we’ve lost. And as our nation comes together to help San Bernardino begin to heal, we must also come together against the kind of unspeakable violence that shatters too many communities. We have no greater obligation than to do everything in our power to keep our communities safe. That’s how we honor the victims of this tragedy – and how we ensure that America stays the strong, resilient, free country we love. God bless those we’ve lost, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.
Read more from our sister-Local 721.
