The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
A CALL FOR UNITY AND JUSTICE
Lorain County Bar Association, local leaders come together to seek change
The Lorain County Bar Association alongside local leaders called for changes to the justice June 9 in a moment of solidarity.
Gathering on the steps on the old Elyria courthouse, 308 Second St., the bar association along with Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield and Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley came together to show support for equality and renewed calls for justice on the day of George Floyd’s funeral.
“We are here to bring the legal community together with the community at-large,” said Lorain County Common Pleas Judge D. Chris Cook.
“The legal community, particularly those of us who work in the criminal justice system, are acutely aware of the situation and tensions facing our nation.
“Hopefully by coming together, talking together and working together, we can find real long-lasting solutions to the issues we face.”
When the Lorain County Bar Association was established more than 100 years ago, part of its mission was to aid in the administration of justice.
Jeannie Motylewski, executive director of the Lorain County Bar Association, said as a community, “we have to do better.”
“That mission statement still stands today, but today it’s more important than ever,” Motylewski said. “The (Lorain County Bar Association) has both an ethical and moral responsibility to help change longstanding systemic issues of racial injustice.
“It is imperative that the legal community come together to build a better justice system and life for all of our citizens regardless of race, ethnicity or skin color.”
Now’s the time
Lorain County Bar Association President Charlita Anderson-White said the time is now to make changes.
“This is our moment; this is our moment to stand against hate, bigotry and divisiveness,” AndersonWhite said. “This is the time to speak out.
“As much as we do to support Lorain County citizens and members of the bar, we have rarely spoken out on matters involving race or police violence.”
While race and police interaction along with questions of neutrality in the legal community are delicate subjects, Anderson-White encouraged people not to shy away from having this difficult, but necessary conversation.
“But today, as hard as it is, we must not shy away from this difficult but unsettling subject,” she said. “So, here on behalf of the Lorain County Bar Association, we decry our silence.
“Silence is violence. The time is now. We make this brief and heartfelt statement on behalf of the Lorain County Bar Association and our community today as George Floyd is put to rest.
“It was with great sadness we watched yet another tragic death in our country and our thoughts and prayers are with the family of George Floyd who was senselessly murdered on the streets of Minneapolis by those who were sworn to protect and serve.
“We pray for all victims of violence and injustice of any kind. And we offer our prayers and thanks to the Lorain County community for its contemplation and its grace in the many efforts to collaborate and speak out for safety and justice in so many forms throughout this great county. The way this county has come together for all walks of life, is truly empowering.”
As a judge, Cook asked why more people who work in the legal system have not spoken out going beyond limits on speech due to maintaining impartiality.
He said most of it is due to not having great answers, but stressed the importance of the oath judges and lawyers take in upholding the law and to not discriminate, protecting the rights of all people.
“I know all of your county judges are committed to upholding their legal duties,” Cook said. “But more importantly, upholding our moral duty to follow the law and be impartial, upholding the rights of people who appear before us.
“We owe you, our community, nothing less if we want to make Lorain County and our nation a prosperous place to live and work for all.”
Whitfield, the first elected African American mayor of the city, said the movement for racial justice feels different this time.
“It really feels like America is ready to address the systems and patterns of inequality and inequity in terms of race that have haunted this nation since its founding,” he said.
The legal community has an important role to play in shaping of America, he said.
“Let us remember that slavery was legal, segregation was legal and other forms of discrimination throughout our history were all legal,” Whitfield said. “And my fear through all of this is that we might miss the opportunity to address America’s holistic system of racism, and that we only would focus on one part which is on police officers, who are enforcing the laws that we created.”
Whitfield said people will have to address the systems, patterns and policies that impact black and brown people, pointing to heightened infant mortality rates, underfunded education systems, the lack of economic opportunities through white flight and redlining, over criminalization of communities for minor offenses and the lack of re-entry support.
“All of these are policy decisions that you all play a role in helping to shape,” he said. “So, let us not miss this opportunity and let us not miss the awareness of the opportunity to see our role collectively in addressing this conundrum of American democracy and the role that each of plays in decision making that plays a role in making this world more equal and just for all, particularly African Americans.”
Bradley asked if Floyd’s death finally would bring change in demanding that “we condemn all discrimination in our justice system.”
“We can hope that his death will finally open our hearts and our minds,” he said. “While most police serve nobly every day, mistrust in the black community is rooted in some uncomfortable realities.”
Bradley challenged society to find leaders who are willing to do the hard work of changing laws that will “raise the low bar police have to justify using deadly force.”
“It can no longer be the standard of reasonable,” he said. “It must be a standard of necessary.”