John,
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Derek Chauvin was just found guilty on all counts for the murder of George Floyd.
This ruling is accountability, not justice. Justice would be if George Floyd were still alive -- and if Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities did not live under systemic racism, police brutality, and mass incarceration that destroys millions of lives.
And, it would mean guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice denied to George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, and countless others. That will require all of us working together to shift the balance of power, stop police violence, and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity by law enforcement.
Courts and prisons can’t solve those problems -- and this verdict only came after a summer of protests, which were met by police violence and repression.
Common Cause has called upon Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would ban chokeholds, police profiling, and no-knock warrants. It would also make sure police officers who break the law can be held accountable and stop the rampant militarization of many police departments.
But sadly, politicians in many states have instead responded by targeting and criminalizing people who exercise their right to speak out. One particularly egregious bill in Florida encourages violence against peaceful protestors -- and makes it exceedingly easy to jail them with felony charges, then permanently disenfranchise them at the polls unless they pay state fees.
As a country, we must acknowledge the systemic racism that has been ingrained in the fabric of our nation since its founding. We must fight racism wherever it exists: in our communities, at the ballot box, in our justice system, and in our legislative bodies.
White Americans do not fully grasp the fear, the horror, and the anxiety Black and Brown people feel every day as they go about their daily lives. Policing too often reflects a double standard, and people of color continue to die at the hands of law enforcement officers in absolutely unacceptable numbers. The tragic pattern must end now.
Undaunted, we must build a real democracy where every person can feel safe, thrive, and have a voice. We must continue to work to establish a country where equal justice under the law is a reality for everyone and not an impossibility for Black, Brown, & Indigenous people.
I am so glad to know that I can continue to count on you in this effort.
Karen Hobert Flynn, President
and the team at Common Cause
P.S. One concrete action you can take right now is to write to your senators in support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and urge that they take action to dismantle the white supremacy that drives deadly policing in the United States.
