Congressional Black Caucus

Floor Speech

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Ms. CLARKE of New York. Hands up, don't shoot.

I thank my colleague and friend, Mr. Jeffries of Brooklyn, New York,
for his tremendous leadership both here in Washington, D.C., and at
home in New York.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in the Congressional Black
Caucus to discuss being black in America and what the injustice in
Ferguson, Missouri, says about where we are and where we need to go as
a civil society.

I first want to, once again, offer my condolences to the family of
Michael Brown, whose efforts to secure justice on behalf of their son
were undermined by the decision of the grand jury. The killing of
Michael Brown and attacks by the Ferguson Police Department on
protesters demonstrate an assumption that young women and men who are
African American are inherently suspicious--a false assumption with
deadly consequences.

So where do we go from here? We must not allow this false assumption
to prevail in our Nation, in our society. We cannot and will not accept
the devaluation of African American lives. We have seen this scenario
play out too many times in recent years, even in my hometown in
Brooklyn, New York, where we are still reeling from the recent killing
of Akai Gurley, an unarmed young man shot by a probationary New York
City police officer. This killing comes on the heels of the homicide by
a choke hold of Eric Garner on Staten Island, again, in New York City.

Mr. Speaker, it is deeply disappointing that as we observe the 50th
anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 we are still trying to
fulfill the promise of the 14th Amendment, of equal protection under
the law. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 transformed our Nation by
prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, and
national origin at work, in schools, and in other public facilities, we
still must transform the perception, biases, and prejudices that some
people still carry with them like luggage from generations past.

The incidents in Ferguson and cities across this Nation remind us
that communities that have been disproportionately and unjustly
targeted by police departments demand recognition of their humanity.
Young people of color refuse to live in a democratic society in a state
of fear, and we have an obligation as a nation to rid ourselves of the
scourge of racially biased, state-sanctioned terrorism.

I fully support the steps announced today by the Obama administration
to strengthen community policing and fortify the trust that must exist
between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. I have
been a vocal advocate for better relations between the community and
law enforcement community. Given the police officers' sole mission is
to serve and protect the people with dignity, integrity, and respect,
we must focus on achieving that mission. I pledge to work with my
constituents, the Obama administration, my colleagues, and officials
across this country--especially in New York City--to restore public
trust and to establish a more enlightened policing strategy, and to
prevent such incidents in the future.

So, again, I would like to thank Mr. Jeffries for his leadership. I
want to thank the CBC, the conscience of the Congress, for holding this
timely Special Order. To all Americans who are disturbed by the
demonstrations that are taking place across this Nation, I want you to
remember these four words: no justice, no peace.

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