June 03rd, 2020

Those of us with agency and privilege must act

June 2, 2020
By Rep Peter DeFazio
 This weekend, in homes and parks and streets across America, our people mourned George Floyd, the latest fatal victim of racism in America. Another gasping reminder of America's original sin. He joins Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Freddie Gray, Trayvon Martin— countless others in some 400 years of brutal legacy.
  It is my hope that George Floyd is the last. But unless those of us with agency and privilege stand up and take the heavy mantle from our brothers and sisters of color and lead the way to change there will be more. We must do the real work to make amends for our country's original sin and break down racism and inequality— from institutional to microaggression.
  Let there be justice and dignity for George Floyd and let the discomfort of his brutal death drive us to truly make America a more perfect union for all its citizens.
  –– Peter