By Robert Sulzer
July 26, 2013
Many Americans, like me, are upset at the verdict of “not guilty” for George Zimmerman, and we feel that it was a travesty of justice. Based on their history and experiences, many African Americans feel strongly that the system is rigged against them. They have recently seen the conservative U.S. Supreme Court turn back several decades of progress in voting rights for people of color. Our country has made great progress in eradicating overt racism but the progress is much slower in fighting implicit racism (associations about race based on stereotypes and myths but which reflect racist feelings which many white folks feel deeply in their gut) but our country still has a long way to go in that area.
Where do we go from here?
First, we must work to repeal laws, such as Florida`s “Stand Your Ground Law,” which encourages armed responses and result in tragedies like the killing of Trayvon Martin. Many have demonstrated this week in front of Governor Scott`s office in Tallahassee to repeal “Stand your Ground”, but they also need to demonstrate in front of Florida`s state legislature. When Florida elects a Democratic governor in 2014 there is a much better chance we can repeal this stupid law. With a Democratic governor working with a Democratic dominated state legislature, it is guaranteed that “Stand Your Ground” will be repealed.
Second, we need better training for our police officers and community policing programs that gets the police out of their cars and back to walking the streets of our neighborhoods – so they can learn about and play a more supportive role in our communities.
Third, we need to provide better educational opportunities for children in poor communities, more aid in general to public education and more programs to encourage kids in tough neighborhoods to engage in productive activities after school.
These are all steps which can help improve race relations and community relations. But, to achieve these objectives, we must get Democrats elected in 2014. Like our fights to: protect a woman’s reproductive rights, stop the efforts to destroy public education, protect our environment, and enact meaningful gun control, these necessary moves to help improve race relations also depend on electing Democrats in 2014. The wonderful grass roots work which the dedicated DEC members, Clubs, and Caucuses persistently engage in—-such as voter registration drives, vote by mail drives, phone banking, and door-to-door canvassing can make this happen. It is more difficult to get people energized and out to vote in a non-presidential election year, but it is absolutely necessary in 2014. We must get all Democrats: whites, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Young People, etc. to the polls to vote for what is in their best interest, to vote for this community’s best interest – to VOTE Democratic. We can do it!!!