HomeArticleTime to Act, TRP’s Statement on the Senseless Killing of George Floyd

Time to Act, TRP’s Statement on the Senseless Killing of George Floyd

This past week, we as a nation and as individuals have witnessed so much anger and pain sparked by the senseless killing of George Floyd. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. May they feel the love and support of so many people outraged by his tragic death.

His brutal murder represents one more blatant and unjust act by a criminal justice system that has oppressed people of color for far too long. The murder is one more example of our country’s long history of institutional racism that cries out for justice. We can no longer tolerate what happened to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many others.

We support the peaceful protests against the grave injustices in icted on people of color. We are saddened that too often they are overshadowed by violence, whether by a small number of demonstrators or the unnecessary show of force by a police state. While the heighten rage is understandable, it tends to distract us from our need to focus on the injustice of institutional racism. Dr. Martin Luther King chose the path of non-violence, recognizing that violence breeds violence. Let’s follow his advice: “The non-violent resister is willing to accept violence if necessary, but never to in ict it.”

The severe inequalities experienced by communities of color, whether
in housing, education, employment, health or criminal justice, must end. It is not enough to have empathy for those who suffer injustice and even hatred. We must take action to right the wrongs of the past. Our efforts to reform the police and the criminal justice system as well as all other systems that have oppressed people of color, are the best way we can honor the memory of George Floyd. We join with his brother, who referred to George Floyd as a man of peace and called us to remember him by committing ourselves to the struggle for justice, and in a non-violent way.

The horrific and painful events of the past week, coupled with the pandemic inequities, challenge us all to act so that every Black person in our society can experience the dignity, peace and justice to which they are entitled. The Resurrection Project will continue to build healthy communities alongside our Black brothers and sisters and challenge people to act on their faith and values to bring justice to all the people of color in our nation.