CG Dems statement on the murder of George Floyd
As tragic and horrifying as the killing of George Floyd was, hope emerges from it. We have never witnessed the recognition by so many Americans, more than a majority of us apparently, of the racism and bias, overt and implicit, and racial injustice in our society. Perhaps because of the pain of illness and isolation and the attendant economic disasters facing so many, this awful act (and the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery) have touched us all more deeply and emotionally than the same injustices of a few years ago (Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland). Or maybe it’s because nothing has changed.
Michelle Obama explains that, even though we are not directly affected, we can be part of the solution, and there will be a solution only if we are part of it:
"Like so many of you, I’m pained by these recent tragedies. And I’m exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop. Right now it’s George, Breonna, and Ahmaud. Before that it was Eric, Sandra, and Michael. It just goes on, and on, and on. Race and racism is a reality that so many of us grow up learning to just deal with. But if we ever hope to move past it, it can’t just be on people of color to deal with it. It’s up to all of us—Black, white, everyone—no matter how well-meaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out. It starts with self-examination and listening to those whose lives are different from our own. It ends with justice, compassion, and empathy that manifests in our lives and on our streets. I pray we all have the strength for that journey, just as I pray for the souls and the families of those who were taken from us."
Change is long overdue. It is incumbent upon us all to educate ourselves about social injustice in our society and to work to correct it. At the same time, we must educate ourselves about and seek to rid ourselves of our unconscious biases. We must learn to call out unfairness when we see it. And, in August and November we will have the opportunity to change the leadership and the direction of our county and then our country. We will be able to redirect policies which have led to income inequality, mass and meaningless incarceration, unfair and unequal access to healthcare, the lack of affordable housing, and a rapidly deteriorating environment, all of which disproportionately harm the Black community.
Interested in getting involved in helping fight for justice, freedom and action? Interested in becoming an ally and learning about tolerance. Take a look at these informative cites and become educated in how you can make a difference.
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2018/how-to-be-an-ally