How to Make
this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change
As millions of
people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in
response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal
justice, many people have reached out asking how we can sustain momentum to
bring about real change.
Ultimately,
it’s going to be up to a new generation of activists to shape strategies that
best fit the times. But I believe there are some basic lessons to draw from
past efforts that are worth remembering.
First, the
waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate
frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the
broader criminal justice system in the United States. The overwhelming majority
of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring.
They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation — something that police
in cities like Camden and Flint have commendably understood.
On the other
hand, the small minority of folks who’ve resorted to violence in various forms,
whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people
at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already
short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause.
I saw an
elderly black woman being interviewed today in tears because the only grocery
store in her neighborhood had been trashed. If history is any guide, that store
may take years to come back.
So let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it,
or participate in it. If we want our criminal justice system, and
American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to
model that code ourselves.
Second, I’ve
heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal
justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about
change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of
time. I couldn’t disagree more.
The point of protest is to raise public
awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be
uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it’s often only been in
response to protests and civil disobedience that the political
system has even paid attention to marginalized communities.
But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands.
Moreover, it’s
important for us to understand which levels of government have
the biggest impact on our criminal justice system and police practices. When we
think about politics, a lot of us focus only on the presidency and the federal
government.
And yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a
president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that
actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society
and want to do something about it. But the elected officials who matter
most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at
the state and local levels.
It’s mayors
and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective
bargaining agreements with police unions. It’s district attorneys and state’s
attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those
involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions. In some places,
police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as
well.
Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully
low, especially among young people — which makes no sense given the direct
impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact
that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few
thousand, or even a few hundred, votes.
So the bottom
line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t
between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to
mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast
our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.
Finally, the
more specific we can make demands for criminal justice and police reform, the
harder it will be for elected officials to just offer lip service to the cause
and then fall back into business as usual once protests have gone away. The
content of that reform agenda will be different for various communities.
A big
city may need one set of reforms; a rural community may need another. Some
agencies will require wholesale rehabilitation; others should make minor
improvements. Every law enforcement agency should have clear policies,
including an independent body that conducts investigations of alleged
misconduct. Tailoring reforms for each community will require local activists
and organizations to do their research and educate fellow citizens in their
community on what strategies work best.
But as a
starting point, here’s a report and toolkit developed by the
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and based on the work of the
Task Force on 21st Century Policing that I formed when I was in the White
House. And if you’re interested in taking concrete action, we’ve also created a
dedicated site at the Obama
Foundation to aggregate and direct you to useful resources and organizations
who’ve been fighting the good fight at the local and national levels for years.
I recognize
that these past few months have been hard and dispiriting — that the fear,
sorrow, uncertainty, and hardship of a pandemic have been compounded by tragic
reminders that prejudice and inequality still shape so much of American life.
But watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every
race and every station, makes me hopeful. If, going forward, we can channel our
justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this
moment can be a real turning point in our nation’s long journey to live up to
our highest ideals.
Let’s get to
work.