A Letter from the U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal
November 5, 2020
Dear Henry,
Thank you for contacting me to stand up against systemic inequality and racial injustice in America.
I stand proudly with you and all others who are demanding justice and equality at this moment, and I firmly believe it is the right of every American to demand equal treatment under the law. I also believe that this movement must continue past protests – and through to legislative and societal changes. These problems are not resolved when marches and protests stop.
It goes without question that systems of oppression have resulted in deep inequity in the Black community and in other communities of color in regard to health, wealth, and justice. Like you, I believe that bold action must be taken to address these inequalities.
Since June, protests have sprung up in all 50 states as a response to the unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the shooting of Jacob Blake. Let me be clear, structural discrimination and violence against communities of color—especially Black Americans—are a stain on our nation that we must work tirelessly to irradiate. The national Black Lives Matter movement is a critical civil rights moment, and our country can no longer ignore the very real problems of police brutality or systemic racism that pervade every aspect of our society.
We must take this opportunity to find the courage and the political will to act and act decisively. I was proud to work with the Congressional Black Caucus and my democratic colleagues as an original cosponsor of the Justice in Policing Act, a sweeping reform package which will restrict the use of force by police officers, hold officers accountable for wrongdoing, end the militarization of police departments, and ensure proper oversight and training.
However, policing and criminal justice reform is only a small sliver of the problem. To say Black Lives Matter means that we have to reform housing, healthcare, education, and other policies that have long contributed to the disproportionate inequities against the Black community.
I hope this critical bill will be brought to the floor swiftly and that we act decisively. I am following the lead of my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, and I am listening to the demands of activists within our community.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me about this important issue. Your comments help me to better represent the people of our Congressional District. Please stay in touch, and if I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to email me through my website at www.lowenthal.house.gov or call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-7924.
Sincerely,
Alan Lowenthal
Member of Congress