1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my outrage and deep concern over the Heritage Foundation's recent proposal urging the FBI to create a new domestic violent extremist designation called "Transgender Ideology-Inspired Violent Extremism" (TIVE). This proposal is not only baseless but also dangerous, potentially inciting violence against an already vulnerable community. The Heritage Foundation's claims of increasing violence from transgender individuals and their allies are unfounded. Research clearly shows that the number of transgender shooting suspects is extremely small, contradicting the Foundation's assertion that TIVE has played a role in the majority of school mass shootings. This misinformation appears to be an attempt to exploit recent tragic events, such as the killing of Charlie Kirk, despite the fact that the suspect in that case was not transgender and came from a right wing background. It's crucial to recognize that transgender individuals, who make up less than 1% of the population, are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. Instead of targeting this marginalized group, we should be focusing on the real sources of political violence, including right-wing extremism, which has been identified by law enforcement as a significant threat. The Heritage Foundation's proposal, part of their controversial Project 2025 agenda, seems to be another escalation in a series of attacks targeting transgender people. This attempt to manufacture consent for potential violence against American citizens is deeply troubling and goes against our values of equality and justice. I urge you to publicly oppose this dangerous proposal and instead advocate for evidence-based approaches to addressing violent extremism. We need policies that protect all Americans, not those that further marginalize vulnerable communities based on misinformation and fear-mongering. Your immediate action on these matters is crucial for the safety and well-being of all your constituents, especially those from marginalized communities. Thank you for your attention to these pressing issues.