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Democratic Platform Calls for Fight Against Racial, Religious Incitement

July 19, 1940
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The Democratic Party’s determination to fight racial and religious incitement is expressed in the platform adopted by the Democratic National Convention last night.

“We have seen the downfall of nations accomplished through international dissension provoked from without,” the preamble said. “We denounce and will do all in our power to destroy the treasonable activities of disguised anti-democratic and un-American agencies which would sap our strength, paralyze our will to defend ourselves and destroy our unity by inciting race against race, class against class, religion against relation and the people against their free institutions.”

The preamble recalled that “for years our President has warned the nation that organized assaults against religion, democracy and international good faith threatened our own peace and security.”

The conclusion stated: “We therefore pledge ourselves to fight, as your fathers fought, for the right of every American to enjoy freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition and security in his home.”

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