Lt. Gov. Barnes Delivers Democratic Radio Address on the Killing of George Floyd
Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes today delivered the Democratic Radio Address on the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer and the resulting protests against systemic racism.
Hey Wisconsin, it’s Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, and I just want to share a message about some of the recent events that we’ve seen unfold in our state and across the country.
Like so many other Black lives in this country, George Floyd’s life was stolen from his family and from his community.
In George Floyd’s death, we remember those Black Wisconsinites who we have lost to systemic racism and those at the hands of the very people who have sworn to protect and serve.
This includes the poverty, poor environmental conditions, and inequitable access to health care experienced by Black communities and other communities of color. These, too, are systemic forms of violence.
Those who are protesting this injustice are doing so in order to save our nation, and they should be protected as they do so.
We have to reject the idea that this is not who we are, as a society and as a country. Unfortunately, this country was built by stolen labor on stolen land. It’s who we have always been. But, together, we can all work to change that.
Governor Evers has called on the legislature to pass Assembly Bill 1012 to create use of force standards for law enforcement officers and establish some accountability, but we all know that this is just a first step.
We will need far more than just one bill to create a state that is truly just and equitable for all communities.
Systemic problems require systemic solutions, and Governor Evers and I are committed to working toward those solutions until Wisconsin is the welcoming and inclusive state that we all know it can be.
More about the 2020 Racial Justice Protests
- 300 Days of Black Lives Matters Protests - Isiah Holmes - Mar 29th, 2021
- Murphy’s Law: 8 Ways Police Mishandled Protests - Bruce Murphy - Mar 24th, 2021
- Milwaukee Police Helped Patrol Tosa Protests? - Isiah Holmes - Mar 17th, 2021
- Evers Reflects on Year of Pandemic, Protests - Shawn Johnson - Dec 28th, 2020
- The Year of the National Guard - Jenny Peek - Dec 28th, 2020
- Baldwin Questions U.S. Marshall’s Role in Tosa Protests - Isiah Holmes - Dec 19th, 2020
- Op Ed: Vote No on COPS Grant - Markasa Tucker - Dec 18th, 2020
- People’s Revolution Marks 200 Days of Protest - Graham Kilmer - Dec 15th, 2020
- Supervisor Clancy Applauds Activists on 200th Day of Protests - Sup. Ryan Clancy - Dec 14th, 2020
- The “Molotov Cocktail” That Wasn’t - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 23rd, 2020
Read more about 2020 Racial Justice Protests here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes
