Friend,

Our country is not living up to its ideals. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others have rightfully caused a national uproar. Black lives matter — and we are not doing enough to protect them.

Fixing the institutionalized racism in our country will take many different steps, but here’s one action we can take now: we must make lynching a federal hate crime.

Throughout history, and still now, thousands of Black Americans have been lynched and yet Congress has not made these racial killings a federal hate crime. This should not be controversial in 2020.

The House and Senate have both passed versions of anti-lynching bills in recent years, but one Kentucky Senator is holding up the bill. Enough is enough. Sign your name if you agree that lynching should be a federal hate crime.

In 1892, Ida B. Wells wrote that “the strong arm of the law must be brought to bear upon lynchers in severe punishment, but this cannot and will not be done unless a healthy public sentiment demands and sustains such action.” 128 years later, these words are still true — and it’s on us to show Congress what we, the public, demand.

Our reckoning with our national history of racism is far from over, but this crucial step is long overdue. Tell Congress: we must make lynching a federal hate crime.

Thank you,

Team SJ