The board finally reached a decision and Senator Cotton is no longer a member. This fight dragged on longer than I ever anticipated but we ended up exactly where we needed to be. I am drained from the process yet I appreciate that you stuck by me through the silence …
July 23, 2020
Final supporters
The International Republican Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to advancing democracy and freedom. IRI's staff around the globe are committed to encouraging democracy in places where it is absent, help democracy become more effective where it is in danger and share best practices where democracy is flourishing.
In a recent TV interview in response to ongoing protest movements, IRI Board Member Senator Tom Cotton stated, "if necessary the president should use the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to these cities to support our local law enforcement and ensure that this violence ends tonight, not one more night.... If local law enforcement is overwhelmed ... lets see how these anarchists respond when the 101st Airborne is on the other side of the street. And, if necessary, the 10th Mountain, 82nd Airborne, 1st Cav, 3rd Infantry—whatever it takes to restore order. No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters."
As IRI staff, we recognize and respect the right of Senator Cotton to express his opinions as a private citizen, and we recognize that Senator Cotton's remarks are not formally associated with IRI or made in his capacity as a board member.
However, we as IRI staff wish to express grave concern with retaining Senator Cotton on the Board of Directors. His remarks do not represent the Institute's core values and his association with IRI is damaging to our credibility across the global. As IRI staff, we demand the IRI Board of Directors remove of Senator Cotton from the board. IRI's leadership MUST exemplify the Institute's core values: excellent, freedom, respect, teamwork, transparency, and accountability.
IRI is a wonderful place to work and we are proud to be a part of the IRI family. We cannot tolerate divisive, anti-democratic, and hateful rhetoric from members of our Board. IRI must be on the right side of history.
Updates
June 2, 2020
Reaching this point has been a long and draining climb. Seeing so many people recognize that our mission and these statements cannot coexist gives me the strength to keep going.
Reached 100 supporters
June 2, 2020
33 Comments
To maintain our credibility as a preeminent democracy and governance organization, we must stand up to affronts to democracy whenever they are clearly evident- even if it is not politically convenient for us to do so. If suggesting war crimes is not such an affront, it is unclear to me what is.
I am a lifelong Republican and found Senator Cotton's comments to not only be disgraceful, but fundamentally against our values and mission as an organization. There is no way a Harvard-educated and former active duty service member - Mr. Cotton is both - did not realize the implications of the phrase "no quarter." That simple.
This comment is not only fundamentally against the values of democracy and echoes clearly rhetoric of some of the world's harshest dictators. Comments such as this from a member of IRI's board undermine our credibility and can put at risk individuals who are on the ground. We live every day understanding that words have power and we as an Institute must act accordingly.
An individual that does not respect - and actively opposes - the inalienable rights afforded to citizens through a country's legal framework has no place sitting on the board of a good governance, pro-democracy institution. IRI must hold its board members to the same standards its has for its grants, beneficiaries and employees.
As IRI staff we stand behind many people around the world who risk their lives to call for a more just society. We owe it to them to maintain our credibility and stand up against violent responses to protest in the United States, and calls for violence by Sen. Cotton.
Shame on Tom Cotton.
In taking a look at the "Our Values" page, it becomes clear Mr. Cotton has sacrificed their credibility on those values for partisanship. He does not exhibit a respect for core values - including things like empathy listed under respect, nor inclusion or diversity. Values are determined not by stating them, but living up to them. Mr. Cotton has failed in that but the organization should not
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The board finally reached a decision and Senator Cotton is no longer a member. This fight dragged on longer than I ever anticipated but we ended up exactly where we needed to be. I am drained from the process yet I appreciate that you stuck by me through the silence …
July 23, 2020
Final supporters
The International Republican Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to advancing democracy and freedom. IRI's staff around the globe are committed to encouraging democracy in places where it is absent, help democracy become more effective where it is in danger and share best practices where democracy is flourishing.
In a recent TV interview in response to ongoing protest movements, IRI Board Member Senator Tom Cotton stated, "if necessary the president should use the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to these cities to support our local law enforcement and ensure that this violence ends tonight, not one more night.... If local law enforcement is overwhelmed ... lets see how these anarchists respond when the 101st Airborne is on the other side of the street. And, if necessary, the 10th Mountain, 82nd Airborne, 1st Cav, 3rd Infantry—whatever it takes to restore order. No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters."
As IRI staff, we recognize and respect the right of Senator Cotton to express his opinions as a private citizen, and we recognize that Senator Cotton's remarks are not formally associated with IRI or made in his capacity as a board member.
However, we as IRI staff wish to express grave concern with retaining Senator Cotton on the Board of Directors. His remarks do not represent the Institute's core values and his association with IRI is damaging to our credibility across the global. As IRI staff, we demand the IRI Board of Directors remove of Senator Cotton from the board. IRI's leadership MUST exemplify the Institute's core values: excellent, freedom, respect, teamwork, transparency, and accountability.
IRI is a wonderful place to work and we are proud to be a part of the IRI family. We cannot tolerate divisive, anti-democratic, and hateful rhetoric from members of our Board. IRI must be on the right side of history.
Updates
June 2, 2020
Reaching this point has been a long and draining climb. Seeing so many people recognize that our mission and these statements cannot coexist gives me the strength to keep going.
Reached 100 supporters
June 2, 2020
33 Comments
All of us in the IRI community are held to high standards. Sen. Cotton's remarks regarding American citizens' constitutional right to free speech and assembly violates our values of Freedom and Respect. Through this petition, we are embodying another IRI value: Accountability for ourselves as members of this community and for our board as our leadership on the issues of democracy and human rights around the world.
To maintain our credibility as a preeminent democracy and governance organization, we must stand up to affronts to democracy whenever they are clearly evident- even if it is not politically convenient for us to do so. If suggesting war crimes is not such an affront, it is unclear to me what is.
I am a lifelong Republican and found Senator Cotton's comments to not only be disgraceful, but fundamentally against our values and mission as an organization. There is no way a Harvard-educated and former active duty service member - Mr. Cotton is both - did not realize the implications of the phrase "no quarter." That simple.
This comment is not only fundamentally against the values of democracy and echoes clearly rhetoric of some of the world's harshest dictators. Comments such as this from a member of IRI's board undermine our credibility and can put at risk individuals who are on the ground. We live every day understanding that words have power and we as an Institute must act accordingly.
An individual that does not respect - and actively opposes - the inalienable rights afforded to citizens through a country's legal framework has no place sitting on the board of a good governance, pro-democracy institution. IRI must hold its board members to the same standards its has for its grants, beneficiaries and employees.
As IRI staff we stand behind many people around the world who risk their lives to call for a more just society. We owe it to them to maintain our credibility and stand up against violent responses to protest in the United States, and calls for violence by Sen. Cotton.
Shame on Tom Cotton.
In taking a look at the "Our Values" page, it becomes clear Mr. Cotton has sacrificed their credibility on those values for partisanship. He does not exhibit a respect for core values - including things like empathy listed under respect, nor inclusion or diversity. Values are determined not by stating them, but living up to them. Mr. Cotton has failed in that but the organization should not
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All of us in the IRI community are held to high standards. Sen. Cotton's remarks regarding American citizens' constitutional right to free speech and assembly violates our values of Freedom and Respect. Through this petition, we are embodying another IRI value: Accountability for ourselves as members of this community and for our board as our leadership on the issues of democracy and human rights around the world.