- Banned
- #1
Last April, Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American man, was arrested, handcuffed, and shackled — then tossed in the back of a police van and allegedly given a “rough ride,” with deliberate violent turns and rapid stops to slam his body against the van’s walls.
When he emerged, his neck was broken and he was in a coma. He died a week later of spinal cord injuries, inspiring Black Lives Matter protests nationwide. 1
The medical examiner ruled Gray’s death a homicide, and six police officers were charged. The case against the first officer ended in a mistrial in December. This week, a judge dismissed all charges against a second officer.
In response, our friends at ColorOfChange.org declared: “This injustice sends a clear message: Black communities cannot rely on law enforcement to protect their lives or the justice system to protect them from police violence. President Barack Obama must intervene.”
As Jews, we couldn’t agree more, so we’re joining in this demand.
The letter calls on the President to:
Silence is not an option. It’s time to raise our voices more loudly in the fight against racial injustice. American Jews — Jews of Color and White Jews — have participated in this fight before, and it’s time to do it again.
President Obama can and should act immediately. Sign the letter to President Obama now.
Together, we can ensure that Freddie Gray’s memory will be a blessing.
May Freddie Gray's Memory Be A Blessing
When he emerged, his neck was broken and he was in a coma. He died a week later of spinal cord injuries, inspiring Black Lives Matter protests nationwide. 1
The medical examiner ruled Gray’s death a homicide, and six police officers were charged. The case against the first officer ended in a mistrial in December. This week, a judge dismissed all charges against a second officer.
In response, our friends at ColorOfChange.org declared: “This injustice sends a clear message: Black communities cannot rely on law enforcement to protect their lives or the justice system to protect them from police violence. President Barack Obama must intervene.”
As Jews, we couldn’t agree more, so we’re joining in this demand.
The letter calls on the President to:
- enforce and expand federal bans on police discrimination and violence
- strengthen current disciplinary mechanisms for law enforcement nationwide
- direct the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate and prosecute police misconduct more aggressively
Silence is not an option. It’s time to raise our voices more loudly in the fight against racial injustice. American Jews — Jews of Color and White Jews — have participated in this fight before, and it’s time to do it again.
President Obama can and should act immediately. Sign the letter to President Obama now.
Together, we can ensure that Freddie Gray’s memory will be a blessing.
May Freddie Gray's Memory Be A Blessing
