NUHW statement on police violence against African Americans
Everyone has a right to live in peace without fear of being targeted for violence because of one’s skin color. The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery by current or former law enforcement officers is a haunting illustration that our nation continues to devalue the lives of black people and that we all must rise up to fight the growing menace of hatred.
The protests taking place across our nation reflect the immense pain so many of us feel knowing that we live in a country where black people can be killed while jogging in the street, sleeping in their beds, or in the custody of police officers. Black people live in fear every day that they or their loved ones will be the latest victim of racist violence or an unjust criminal justice system. Their trauma is real, and their fear is completely justified.
At a time when several of our top political leaders are intent on pitting Americans against each other, it is more important than ever that all working people stand together to defeat racism in all its virulent forms. Systemic racism is at the core of all our civil institutions including our economic, criminal justice, and healthcare systems. The racist attacks against Asian Americans at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the disproportionately high rates of infection among minority communities are further evidence that we cannot quietly condone a status quo that puts so many lives in grave jeopardy.
The National Union of Healthcare Workers is committed to working with all those who are committed to confronting the scourge of racism. Together we can build a better society in which everybody can live in harmony with economic security and affordable health care.