[1]National Nurses United
We all know that George Floyd did not die of heart disease last Monday. He
died because he had a police officer heavily kneeling on his neck for nine
minutes.
And yet, the first report from the medical examiner in Minneapolis said
there were “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic
asphyxia or strangulation” that caused the death of George Floyd – blaming
instead underlying medical conditions including coronary artery disease
and hypertensive heart disease.^1
We know George Floyd did not die due to pre-existing health conditions.
What really pre-exists is the legacy of racism and police misconduct.
Thankfully an independent autopsy, and now Minnesota officials, have
confirmed that his death was a homicide.
It is racism that is the deadly disease. It has incited police killings,
along with decades of racial disparities in health care, housing,
employment, education, criminal justice, and so many other facets of our
society that have taken Black lives and boiled over in a call for change
now in our streets.
In this critical, historic moment, we all have a responsibility to stand
up for the justice that Black people have been denied time and time again.
That’s why we’re asking you to do whatever you can — talk to your friends
and family, join a demonstration (safely!), make a donation, and engage on
social media — to support the leadership of Black communities as we fight
together in defense of Black lives.
As nurses, we see the horrific effects of racism in our hospitals and
communities every day. We’ve seen the deadly impacts of racism not only in
this latest wave of police and white supremacist killings, but in the
disproportionate impact of this pandemic and the economic crisis that has
followed.
Across the country, Black and Brown Americans have died of COVID-19 in
numbers as high as three to four times the rate of white people and have
lost jobs in greater percentages since March.
Our country has failed Black communities – but instead of taking
responsibility, our government has tried to blame those most harmed by
these policies. Similar to the examiner’s report, Health and Human
Services Secretary, Alex Azar, cited obesity and diabetes as the reason
for the drastically high COVID-19 death rates among Black populations.
This is a blatant attempt to cover up the disastrously failed response of
the Trump Administration to the pandemic, and we won’t allow it.
This is an extremely perilous moment. We are at a crossroads in this nation. It
is increasingly evident that verbal opposition to the policies in
Washington and in many states, is not enough.
We must all do the work individually, in our communities, and as a nation
to educate ourselves, interrogate our beliefs, get comfortable with
confronting our own racism, and take action however we can. The system is
working as it was designed, and it’s up to all of us (white folks
especially) to dismantle it piece by piece.
National Nurses United is committed to pushing for the transformative
changes that are necessary to protect the health and safety of everyone.
Thanks for your support and solidarity in these times.
Until we’re all free,
National Nurses United
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^1 The New York Times: "[ [link removed] ]How Did George Floyd Die? Here’s What We Know"
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