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John,

Rayshard Brooks fell asleep in a car in a drive-thru. 40
minutes later he was shot dead by a police officer while trying
to flee the scene.

How did this happen? Why did this have to happen? These
are questions that Atlanta and the entire country are grappling
with in the aftermath of the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George
Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and now Rayshard Brooks.

The one thought that keeps running through my mind is
that this never would’ve happened in a suburban, white
neighborhood. After all, Mr. Brooks was initially compliant with
the police. He asked to be allowed to leave his car and walk to
his sister’s house for the night. He just wanted to go home. And
had Mr. Brooks been a white man in an upper-middle-class white
neighborhood, there’s little doubt in my mind that the police
would’ve allowed him to do just that.

Instead, as he tried to run away, police shot him in the
back twice. Because police officers have been trained to think of
themselves as warriors instead of protectors. A protector would
have assured that Mr. Brooks got home safely and issued a summons
for him to appear in court to account for any alleged legal
violations.

We need change, John.

This week, I worked to markup the Justice in Policing Act
of 2020 in the Judiciary Committee, which was successfully voted
on last night. That’s a first step. Officials also announced they
were charging the ex-officer who killed Rayshard Brooks with
felony murder. That’s another first step. But we need to do more,
and one bill or prosecution won’t solve all our problems. We need
to keep pushing for justice for Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks,
George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and all the others whose names we
know -- and those we don’t.

That’s why I’m pushing for a re-imagination of our
policing system in the United States not just in Congress, but
through the media where we can reach millions of people at a
time. If you have a moment, listen to my recent appearance on
MSNBC and forward the video to friends or family so we can keep
pushing for change.
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In solidarity,

Hank

LISTEN TO HANK SPEAK OUT ON MSNBC! >>
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Congressman Hank Johnson is a former defense
attorney, DeKalb County commissioner, small business owner, and
magistrate judge who now serves in Congress as a champion for the
middle class.

This email was sent to
[email protected] because we want to keep you fully
informed about Hank's persistent work toward better healthcare,
gun safety reform, quality education, and well-paying jobs.

Hank Johnson for Congress
4153 Flat Shoals Pkwy
Suite 322
Building C, 2nd Fl.
Decatur GA 30034 United States


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