John,
Tomorrow will mark one year since Ahmaud Arbery was murdered while out for a run in Georgia.
I’m a runner, too – I’ve been running my whole life. John, I know the visceral fear that comes with running while Black in America: It means being keenly aware of the spaces that I’m in and how people will view my Black body running in the street. It means worrying about my safety for more reasons than sprained ankles or cars. I have even asked a white friend to protect me by biking next to me as I trained for a marathon, so that I knew I was safe to simply run.
Being Black in the United States means not being able to go for a run without the danger of being shot. This is a violation to the ideals of our country, John: We cannot call ourselves the land of the free when Ahmaud Arbery was murdered while enjoying the freedom of jogging, and while so many more fear for their lives. Now, one year after his death, we must recommit ourselves to fighting the systemic failings of our country — including our broken gun laws.
For a full year since Arbery’s murder, lawmakers have failed to end racist Stand Your Ground laws – in fact they have passed more of them. Just last month, Ohio signed their version of Stand Your Ground into law, and the Arkansas Senate is set to take a vote on a Stand Your Ground bill this week. And now, Ahmaud Arbery’s killers are manipulating Georgia’s Stand Your Ground laws and claiming that their actions were self-defense to avoid the blame of their heinous crime.
I am asking you to join me, John, and sign our petition to end Stand Your Ground laws. We need to show a statistically significant level of support across the country, and we are missing 34 signatures from your area. Will you sign our petition to demand an end Stand Your Ground laws today, John?
Stand Your Ground laws encourage reckless gun owners to shoot first, ask questions later — and then claim self-defense. When combined with our country’s weak gun laws and systemic racism, Stand Your Ground laws increase, rather than decrease, gun crime. We need to show an overwhelming support for ending these life-threatening and racist laws.
John, will you add your name to our petition to demand an end to Stand Your Ground laws today?
In honor of Ahmaud Arbery’s life that was senselessly taken too soon and for the Black men and women who still face the threat of violence in our country: Thank you for taking action against racist Stand Your Ground laws.
 In solidarity,
Kelly Sampson
Brady Senior Counsel and Director of Racial Justice
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