The murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis has laid bare the
grim reality of our nation’s continued history with racism. Despite...

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Friend,

   

      The murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis has laid
bare the grim reality of our nation’s history with racism. Despite all the
progress and changes we’ve made throughout the years, there’s still much work
to be done. Thankfully, out of this tragedy, peaceful demonstrations locally
and across the country are calling for justice and change and providing us with
hope for the future.

     As a citizen and elected leader, I am doing my best to listen and learn
from the voices marching on our streets. Sadly, those with a different agenda
than justice – lawbreaking, violence and anarchy – have tried to hijack
legitimate protest. We must hold the lawbreakers legally accountable and not
let them overshadow the majority of peaceful voices united for justice and
change.


 

      Now more than ever, we need all of our leaders to step up, but
throughout this national crisis, President Trump has not only failed the test
of Presidential leadership -- he is making the crisis worse and has failed
America. I’m not surprised. I didn't vote for Donald Trump in 2016 because I
believed he was unfit to serve as President -- I believe that even more
strongly today. At a moment when America needs a President to show compassion,
restore order and lead for constructive change, President Trump creates chaos
and exploits fear and division. He simply lacks the character, temperament,
integrity and moral authority to lead our nation.

     When America was confronted with the global pandemic, the President’s
response was bad – but his rhetoric and actions since the killing of George
Floyd are even worse. America has serious problems that began before Trump and
will last beyond him - but Trump has made our problems worse, our divisions
deeper and our politics and culture more corrosive. In November, America needs
to elect a new President who can lead our nation in a more positive direction.
Given what’s at stake, I feel I must speak out against the President who
happens to share my Party registration but does not share my moral compass and
values.

Photo: Jenny Johnston/The Bulletin

 

      For the past ten years I served on the Bend – La Pine school board and
now as Bend's state representative. I am a working mom with three kids and a
local restaurant owner. I didn't run for office to get involved in Party
politics or to offer social media commentary on national politics. In fact,
I've avoided both. I run and serve because making Bend a better place is my
passion. The work of combating inequality isn’t new to me. At the heart of my
school board service was ensuring access to a quality education for every child
as a means to combat poverty and create opportunity – no matter your skin color
or economic circumstances. But even well-educated children and adults with
black or brown skin are not immune from racism and injustice. Which is why
change, reform and accountability is needed. Words are a good place to start –
but leadership and action is how we will be measured.


 

      As your State Representative, I will continue my focus on the issues
that matter to all working families in Bend – schools, jobs, health care and
affordable housing. But I will do more. I will work with my Democratic and
Republican colleagues to advancepolice accountability and other reforms
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to ensure that communities of color are heard and our policies in education,
health care, and housing reflect the value and benefits of diversity,
opportunity and justice. I will continue to work with our outstanding local
police and will support Police Chief Jim Porter’s proposal for a body camera
program.


 

      More than ever, we must work together to repair and bridge our historic
and racial divides. I am ready. In his letter from a Birmingham Jail in 1963,
Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied
in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all
indirectly.”



Cheri Helt


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