Content warning: This email discusses police brutality and murder.
John,
Exactly one year ago, on the evening of May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by a police officer who pressed his knee to Mr. Floyd's neck for over nine minutes.
His horrific death was the catalyst for a new era of the civil rights movement, and radically changed how we think about public safety and the role of police in our everyday lives.
So today, one year later, all across the nation and the world: we honor George Floyd's life. We honor his life by fighting for policy change, continuing our activism, and never settling for the status quo.
As I write this email, my U.S. Senate colleagues are considering HR 7120, more commonly known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The bill passed the House in early March of this year. Now, it's up to the Senate to pass the bill and ensure it gets one step closer to becoming law.
Passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act isn't true justice for George Floyd, because true justice would be Mr. Floyd alive and with his loved ones today.
But the bill is an important step to bring accountability to our police forces and towards reimagining public safety — which is why the legislation has provisions like ending qualified immunity for police officers and no-knock warrants.
And John, we can't stop there, because racism is inherent in our carceral and policing systems. Racism is inherent when it comes to determining who gets to be safe from violence in the U.S.
We must continue to challenge our current reality, to reimagine both public safety and public health. We need social services and resources that heal our communities, not policing that harms and occupies our neighborhoods.
Peace and love,
Jamaal Bowman
