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Dear friend,
The events of recent weeks have been disturbing, infuriating and heartbreaking all at the same time.
The grim milestone of 100,000 Americans dead from COVID-19, an epidemic that has disproportionately impacted people of color ... the horrific killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery before that ... the racist harassment of Christian Cooper in Central Park ... unarmed protesters treated far differently than armed protesters only weeks before ... violent threats against Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Sykes and her father, Sen. Vernon Sykes ... journalists being arrested and handcuffed live on national television.
Some of these horrors are new, yet much of it feels sadly familiar.
When I entered politics, Cincinnati had just undergone a period of trauma that had placed us on the international map in the worst of lights. After struggling for some time, the community came together and worked hard to address many of the underlying issues that had sparked our problems, including systemic reforms in the policing of our city. And no doubt there's still much work to do here.
But the lesson also couldn't be more clear: reform without accountability doesn't count for much. Reform without accountability is not justice.
There must be immediate justice for George Floyd and his family. For Ahmaud Arbery and his family. For Breonna Taylor and her family.
Racism and violence have been intertwined with our nation's history since its inception. At our best moments, we have had leaders who have appealed to the better angels of our nature.
At this moment, we have a president who has chosen to fan the flames of violence and hatred and anti-Semitism and misogyny and racism. His moment for accountability is coming this November because America cannot survive another four years of this.
However, America requires much more than change in the Oval Office. We need to demand accountability at every level of government, no matter our political party. If we believe that Black Lives Matter -- and I do -- then we must demand that our elected officials uphold that credo.
Valuing Black lives demands that we confront how racism impacts our society and how it subtly shapes public policy. Across Ohio, we have public servants who are taking up this fight. This month the Franklin County commissioners declared racism a public health crisis. Cleveland City Council is considering similar action. Leader Sykes, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Stephanie Howse and their colleagues have challenged the DeWine administration to do more to address the disparate impact of coronavirus on African-American Ohioans.
It's on all of us -- not just our African-American friends, partners and colleagues -- to do more to address structural racism.
And as President Barack Obama wrote today, as we ultimately emerge from the deep damage done by this pandemic and this nightmare of a presidency, our goal cannot be to get back to "normal." "Normal" is too painful, too unfair and too unjust for too many Americans. Our new normal must strive for far better for everyone.
Stay safe and healthy and thank you for all that you do,
David
David Pepper
Chair
Ohio Democratic Party
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