Texas can lead the nation in fighting racism
Over a week has passed since we saw the video of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for almost 9 minutes resulting in his death. The murder of Floyd, by officers sworn to protect and serve, has awakened our nation to the reality that many are judged by the color of their skin.
Since then we have seen millions take to the streets to peacefully protest racism and demand change in how we police our communities. These protests are in keeping with the best traditions of a democratic society, and we salute all who are in the streets to demand a more just and equitable country.
We have also seen groups use this moment to commit acts of violence and destruction. Our country needs healing, not a cycle of violent retribution. We can and must do better.
This is a pivotal moment. As community leaders, we have a duty to ensure police have appropriate training to respond to incidents, we also need to reinforce accountability when officers break the law. It should not take public outrage to see charges filed against officers when we see inappropriate use of force or other violations of the public trust. Moreover, officers who fail to exercise their duty to intervene must also be held accountable.
In the United States, the percentage of African Americans killed by an officer using lethal force is higher than that of the percentage of white Americans. It is no wonder why so many African Americans still feel like they are more likely to be unfairly treated by the police. The overall U.S. statistic holds weight because whether a wrongful death at the hands of an officer takes place in Texas or Minnesota, it can create and instill fear.
It is our duty as leaders to address this disparity. We expect all citizens in this country to follow the laws of this country. By that same token, all citizens should equally feel protected and respected by the officers who enforce our laws.
When we look at other facets in American society: education, government, business, etc., we must come to the terms of the issues of racism and prejudices and where they can and have occurred. And when dealing with racism, we must address it head on.
After the tragic death of Martin Luther King Jr., Sen. Robert F. Kennedy said this country needs “love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country.” And then he begged the question, “It’s perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in.” He offered two paths forward for his fellow Americans: either a path of bitterness, hatred and revenge or the path of understanding, empathy and love.
We believe the latter is the most productive way forward. We can begin with listening, having open conversations and educating members in our police force about the diverse members in their community. By upholding the values Texans hold dear: friendship, strength and determination and looking to the foundation upon which this great country was built: that all men are created equal — our state and the City of Houston can be a leader for the rest of the country in how reform can begin to take place.
This week, the City of Houston began making changes in how law enforcement police the Houston community by banning chokeholds and strangleholds. Looking ahead, critical training is an absolute requirement and law enforcement funding must be conditioned on officers completing training and their ability to rid an inherent bias in their relative agencies. Funding should go towards crisis intervention, de-escalation and antidiscrimination training as well condition the receipt of these grants with each of their relative agency’s ability to certify their officers are aptly trained.
Kennedy’s powerful words were spoken during perhaps the last great time of upheaval in this country. At this critical juncture in America, those words ring truer than ever. When we begin to have these conversations and gain new perspectives we can come to a place of understanding and empathy for fellow Americans of all backgrounds unified in our effort to ensure there is equal liberty and justice for all.