John,

I am outraged.

What the entire country saw — a police officer pressing his knee into George’s throat for eight minutes — was murder.

That’s why today, I joined others in Arizona’s first congressional district along with millions around the country in demanding that adequate charges be filed against all four officers involved in George’s death and that our government finally dismantles the systemic racism and violence that has ended so many black lives.

Sadly, this same kind of police brutality and violence towards people of color can be seen across this nation, including here in Arizona’s First District.

Flagstaff is our largest city. Police arrests of Native Americans have been on the rise in the last five years, with the latest report indicating that while Native Americans make up only 12 percent of Flagstaff’s population, they account for 52 percent of all arrests. 

Black, brown, and indigenous communities are criminalized in this country for simply existing. It is a hard truth that we, white people, have difficulty internalizing, but we must acknowledge and work tirelessly to fix. It’s our only option. 

It’s also painful and infuriating to watch leaders stay silent in the wake of these heartbreaking events. Silence means you are complicit in upholding the unjust system which allows this to exist. We must commit ourselves to revolutionary action not only for justice, but to literally save lives.

That’s why I have proudly signed current and former congressional candidates Cori Bush (MO-01) and Anthony Clark’s (IL-07) Pledge to End Police Violence, which includes:

• Incentivizing the creation of all-civilian oversight structures,
• Eliminating law enforcement use of military-grade gear & vehicles, 
• Requiring law enforcement agencies to provide increased & mandatory training on issues such as implicit bias, racial profiling, sexual harassment, sexual assault, mental health, trans rights, as well as individuals with disabilities to their officers,
• Requiring mandatory training on non-violent de-escalation techniques that focus on preserving life,
• Promoting diversity in police hiring,
• Requiring all law enforcement officers to wear body cameras & ban police officers from taking cell phones or other recording devices without a person’s consent or warrant,
• Addressing for-profit policing.

I call on our Congressman and my opponent in the primary election to join me in signing this pledge and commit to changing the culture, practice, and ultimately the outcomes of our country’s policing.

If you are able to, I ask you to support the George Floyd Memorial Fund here.

Black Lives Matter Tucson also has ways non-black allies can get involved in the black-led resistance movement here.

Eva Putzova