Lt. Governor David Zuckerman’s Statement on The Protests in Response to George Floyd's Murder
PRESS RELEASE: June 2, 2020
Lt. Governor David Zuckerman’s Statement on The Protests in Response to George Floyd's Murder
BURLINGTON: Today, in an email to supporters, the Zuckerman for VT campaign released a statement from the Lieutenant Governor denouncing the loss of life and the persistent, racist and unequal treatment of minority populations.
The Lt. Governor also called on his supporters to speak out, attend rallies and join protests, talk to friends and family, and contact elected officials. In addition, the Lt. Governor asked his supporters to join him in donating to two prominent Vermont NAACP groups to support organizations working on racial justice in Vermont.
The full statement can be read below:
“In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, tens of thousands of Americans across the country are raising our collective voices against the horrors experienced by black and brown communities in the U.S.
Instead of attempting to heal the nation, Donald Trump is fanning the flames of division, threatening military action against protesters and even tear-gassing peaceful protesters for a photo-op blocks from the White House.
We should all be saddened and outraged at the loss of life and the persistent, racist and unequal treatment of our black and brown brothers and sisters.
Even as our country faces the incredible challenges of a global pandemic and depression-level jobless rates, we must simultaneously address systemic racism that oppresses millions of Americans. We must have difficult conversations about race in Vermont, and throughout our country. And we must take action to prevent chronic racism from being passed down through the generations.
Many of our friends and allies are asking what we can do at this moment of national turmoil.
You can speak out. You can attend rallies and join protests. You can talk to your friends, family and elected leaders. And you can make a contribution to an organization working on racial justice here in Vermont.
Join me in making a contribution to the Rutland Area NAACP or the Windham County NAACP. These organizations are dedicated to the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all people and to eliminating race-based discrimination in Vermont.
These local groups are fighting for a society where all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race. They bring people of all colors together to educate the public about discrimination and its adverse impacts. And they work effectively to fight discrimination in all forms.
In Vermont and across the country, progress on racial and social justice has been painfully slow. But we must keep pushing. We must keep fighting, together, for a future that will end the tortuous American chapters of racism.
As Angela Davis said, “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.”
This is a moment that calls out for leadership in our country. Unfortunately, we have a void in leadership in the highest office of the United States. While the president rants on Twitter, we must step forward. We must raise our voices together, and stand united to take clear steps forward to end the systemic racism that has plagued our state and country for much too long.
George Floyd, 46, was killed by police during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at a deli in Minneapolis. Our whole system, from our laws, to society’s underlying and invisible bias has failed people of color and will continue to fail unless a shift occurs from top to bottom. The disparities are evident in our criminal justice system, health and welfare outcomes, access to education, opportunities for home ownership, and in economic security.
Systemic racism and disproportionate arrests of and violence toward people of color must immediately be addressed in our justice system and society at large.
Our country has struggled with racism for hundreds of years. That struggle continues. Racial equality is an absolute necessity. Racial equality must not be a distant goal, or a future aspiration. We must demand racial equality now. Today.
Join me in making a contribution to the Rutland Area NAACP or the Windham County NAACP. Together, it’s up to us to combat hate, discrimination and unfair treatment of our fellow humans.
In Solidarity,
Lt. Governor David Zuckerman
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