Statement on the Police Murder of George Floyd

Dear MUNACA Members,

I write to you today regarding what is happening in the United States. On May 25th a Black man was murdered by police officers in Minneapolis. George Floyd was killed for apparently trying to purchase groceries with a counterfeit $20.00 bill. These deaths caused by police officers have been happening for far too many years. Very little has changed since I watched Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech on TV in Washington on August 28th, 1963. To paraphrase Dr King: when you diminish one, you diminish all. Racism is a scourge on humanity and it needs to be eradicated, and let us not conclude it is solely an American issue, I remind you that in our city Anthony Griffin, Fredy Villanueva, Nicholas Gibbs, and others have been killed by police. Many have tried to combat these crimes, and yet it continues. However, when an innocent person is murdered because of the colour of their skin, we all must rise up and say, No More!!

There are times when I fear for our species, and this is one of them. But when I think of the contributions of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela, I am less fearful.

Malcolm was right when he said that Plymouth Rock landed on black people but the rock now has taken on the form of police officers.

We must find a way to stop murdering men, women and children because of their colour or ethnicity. People of colour should not have to go through their day and fear for their safety, especially from those who are supposed ‘to serve and protect.’

I ask all MUNACA Members to raise their voices and condemn these murders.

One way you may show your support, for example, is by going to https://blacklivesmatter.com/ or other similar websites to donate to the cause of justice and lend your voice to the movement.

Yours as always in solidarity,
tc

Thomas Chalmers
President MUNACA-PSAC 17602 514-398-6565

“Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere”
– Martin Luther King Jr.

https://www.archives.gov/files/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf
“If you stay neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the
oppressor” – Desmond Tutu

PSAC Statement
http://psacunion.ca/anti-black-racism-its-everyones-fight

I am providing a couple of links from those who do not normally make statements
about what is happening in our world.
https://www.secondcityhockey.com/2020/6/1/21277353/chicago-blackhawks-
jonathan-toews-statement-george-floyd-death-protests-black-lives-matter
https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/blackhawks/blackhawks-zack-smith-issues-
statement-following-death-george-floyd-protests-0