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Edison R. Wato, Jr., Membership Program Manager …Grand Opening Information
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Fatal Shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile
Summary:
Today, President Obama posted a message on Facebook on the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
Update: This evening, President Obama delivered a statement on the fatal shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. Watch below:
Today, President Obama posted the following message on Facebook:
“All Americans should be deeply troubled by the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. We’ve seen such tragedies far too many times, and our hearts go out to the families and communities who’ve suffered such a painful loss.
“Although I am constrained in commenting on the particular facts of these cases, I am encouraged that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation in Baton Rouge, and I have full confidence in their professionalism and their ability to conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and fair inquiry.
“But regardless of the outcome of such investigations, what’s clear is that these fatal shootings are not isolated incidents. They are symptomatic of the broader challenges within our criminal justice system, the racial disparities that appear across the system year after year, and the resulting lack of trust that exists between law enforcement and too many of the communities they serve.
“To admit we’ve got a serious problem in no way contradicts our respect and appreciation for the vast majority of police officers who put their lives on the line to protect us every single day. It is to say that, as a nation, we can and must do better to institute the best practices that reduce the appearance or reality of racial bias in law enforcement.
“That’s why, two years ago, I set up a Task Force on 21st Century Policing that convened police officers, community leaders, and activists. Together, they came up with detailed recommendations on how to improve community policing. So even as officials continue to look into this week’s tragic shootings, we also need communities to address the underlying fissures that lead to these incidents, and to implement those ideas that can make a difference. That’s how we’ll keep our communities safe. And that’s how we can start restoring confidence that all people in this great nation are equal before the law.
“In the meantime, all Americans should recognize the anger, frustration, and grief that so many Americans are feeling — feelings that are being expressed in peaceful protests and vigils. Michelle and I share those feelings. Rather than fall into a predictable pattern of division and political posturing, let’s reflect on what we can do better. Let’s come together as a nation, and keep faith with one another, in order to ensure a future where all of our children know that their lives matter.”
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Turn out for Mike Brown. Eric Garner. Tanesha Anderson– reminder
I believe in a future with no discriminatory police violence. A future where 12-year-old Black children can play safely in the park without being shot by law enforcement; A future where “Am I next?” doesn’t haunt the minds of millions of Black youth and adults every day; A future where the justice system holds police who kill and harm Black communities fully and swiftly accountable.
But we’ll have to work hard for this distant future. Tomorrow, thousands of people across the country will take part in a national day of resistance, demanding justice for Mike Brown, Eric Garner, and all those targeted by the systemic crisis of anti-Black policing. Our national leaders are paying more attention to police brutality than they have in years and its the power of our collective voices and civil unrest has gotten us here — and we must continue.
Join an action tomorrow to help increase pressure on President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to hold Darren Wilson, Officer Pantaleo and other officers who have killed and brutalized Black youth and adults fully accountable. We need a powerful show of people to match the crisis of our time. Find an event in your area using the links below and click on the posters to download a printable version.
Ferguson National Response Network
And if you can’t make it in person, please help strengthen the growing movement by sharing the Justice For Mike Brown and Justice for Eric Garner campaigns with your friends and family.
Although the vast majority of protests are peaceful, there is a real risk of police violence or arrest. In response to the growing movement for police accountability, law enforcement have militarized their tactics and are cracking down on people exercising their first amendment right to free speech. Before attending an action, make sure you know your rights and check out the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) on twitter and your local NLG chapter for a local hotline to report police violence or receive legal support if you are arrested.
We are in a historic time — amidst a growing new civil rights movement led by inspiring Black and brown youth demanding an end to institutional racism. And since the St. Louis Grand Jury and Staten Island Grand Jury refused to indict the officers who brutally killed Mike Brown and Eric Garner, that movement has only grown. Thousands across the country have taken to the streets to shut down highways, bridges, organize sit-ins and die-ins, all in the name of a better future. Tomorrow, we will come together as a nation, to stand up in a powerful show of love and democracy and move forward systemic change to end the insidious cycle of police violence and denied justice. We organize because Mike Brown’s killer is free; Because Eric Garner’s killer is free; Because those who we have lost to discriminatory police violence deserve justice:
- Amadou Diallo, 23 years old, killed by police in 1999. Last words: “Mom I am going to college.”
- Sean Bell, 23-years-old, killed by police the night before his wedding, last words: “I love you too.”
- Eric Garner, 43-years-old, killed by police 5 months ago, last words, “I can’t breathe.”
- Mike Brown, 18-years-old, killed by police 4 months ago, last words “I don’t have a gun. Stop shooting.”
See you tomorrow,
Rashad Robinson
Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way.
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Latonya Goldsby via Change.org … Never forget Tamir Rice
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When my 12-year-old cousin Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a police officer as he played in a park with a toy gun, our family didn’t know what to do. Shocked and heartbroken, we knew we had to find justice for Tamir. I remembered that Trayvon Martin’s parents started a petition on Change.org when police refused to arrest the killer of their young son and that it helped draw national attention to their story.
So I started my own petition on Change.org and over 50,000 people have signed it.
It’s been one year since the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, which propelled #BlackLivesMatter into a national movement. I never thought my family would be part of this conversation – that my little cousin would become one of the reasons we needed to call for police accountability and racial justice here in Cleveland and nationwide.
The simple act of signing a petition can make a difference and other families at the center of the #BlackLivesMatter movement have started petitions on Change.org. The parents of John Crawford, who was killed in a Walmart while he held a toy gun sold at the store used a petition to secure an important Department of Justice investigation into the death of their son. The brother of Walter Scott, shot and killed as he ran away, and the parents of Michael Brown, have each started petitions to call for body cameras nationwide.
From body cameras to a police shooting database, from individual calls for justice to national racial profiling reforms, the petitions on this page not only tell the stories of those directly affected, but provide a way for you to take action and continue to be part of this national conversation. Please use this moment to read these petitions and reflect on what you can do today.
Thank you,
Latonya Goldsby
Cleveland, Ohio
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