As we witness protests for justice following the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade, the latest homicides in a long history of police brutality against Black Americans, MapLight President and Co-Founder Daniel G. Newman issued the following statement:
“Systemic racism and the brutal killings of Black Americans at the hands of police not only bring unbearable pain and suffering to families and communities, they also destroy public faith in our systems of governance and accountability.
The vicious, frequent attacks on communities of color by law enforcement must end now. And we must resist the authoritarian crackdown on free speech and protest. A thriving democracy demands communities unburdened by a fear they will be killed by police as well as faith in our institutions and an ability to hold those in power accountable. In such harrowing circumstances, we must strengthen our resolve and commitment to defending our democracy so that it works for everyone.
MapLight stands in solidarity with our partners in the Declaration for American Democracy in supporting critical reforms outlined by the The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.”
