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Friend, During May alone, our nation has witnessed three horrific acts of violence. Today, we mourn those whose lives were lost at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and we share a deep and profound grief for their families, friends and neighbors. It has been 10 days since the racially motivated massacre that killed 10 members of a Black community in Buffalo. Now we must reckon with the loss of at least 21 people – most of whom were children – in Uvalde. The mass shootings this month remind us of the ever-present threat of senseless violence. They also reaffirm the importance of making space for the emotional trauma felt by students and Black and Brown people, the primary targets of these attacks. The killings within communities of color, as in Uvalde, compound the violence of white supremacy that has taken the form of vigilante attacks, mass shootings and police violence. Two years ago today, George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. His death was captured on video by a young woman, Darnella Frazier, making it possible for millions to witness this injustice. The loss of Floyd’s life and too many others sparked protests far beyond Minneapolis, as more than half a million people in 550 places across the country took to the streets to proclaim Black Lives Matter – one of the largest movements in our nation’s history. Floyd’s story is unusual in that it resulted in legal consequences for all four officers involved. Each was found to have violated Floyd’s civil rights and, in 2021, Derek Chauvin was convicted of Floyd’s murder. According to Mapping Police Violence, 7,666 police officers killed someone in the U.S. between 2013 and 2019. Of those cases, only 25 officers were convicted of a crime. In another 74 cases, the officers were charged with a crime but not convicted. In 99% of the cases, officers were not charged with any crime whatsoever. At this moment, let us reflect on our aspirations for this country. Transformation is necessary to end this all-too-common violence. Structural change is needed to achieve communities where everyone can feel secure in their safety and human rights. For police to build trust with the communities they serve, they must be willing to call out criminal behavior within their own ranks. Fostering a culture of accountability is an essential first step on the path to achieving communities without police violence. We as a movement do not run from a tough situation. We will continue to march for civil rights for all, just as we always have. And we will demand elected leaders who represent our values and priorities. In the names of those we have lost, we must continue the fight for justice.Sincerely, Your the Southern Poverty Law Center |
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