Loretto Calls for Fundamental Reform to Racist System in U.S. that Targets People of Color

Racism is the original and persistent sin of the United States.  Unarmed black people are killed by police authorities and armed members of the public.  Say their names:  George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Tony Robinson, Trayvon Martin.  So many others.   We know this.  We see this.  We grieve.  We are angry.  We move on.  It happens again.

Our racist system targets people of color for poverty, imprisonment, violence, and death.  White institutions police black communities and communities of color.  White institutions hold power in a criminal justice system that utterly fails to impose accountability on police officials and armed white citizens who kill unarmed black people.  There is no justice.  How, then, can there be peace?

Members of the Loretto Community feel the rage and despair of this moment.  As a majority white community, we recommit to prayer, self-examination, and advocacy.  Specifically, we join with the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in calling for fundamental reform in the way policing is done in the United States.  We call for fundamental law reform to strip away protections for those who bring violence and death to unarmed black people.  We call for and commit to REAL change to bring REAL peace, the peace that comes when all have enough, when all are treated with respect.

Every person is a precious child of God.  George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, AhmaudArbery, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Tony Robinson, Trayvon Martin….precious children of God.