Delaware General Assembly
Press Advisory:
For immediate release
June 18, 2020
Contact John Kowalko
25th District Representative
302-737-2396
302-547-9351
State Lawmakers Release Open Letter of Support and Commitment to Delaware’s Black Community and the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus
Nine members of the Delaware State Legislature have released a letter denouncing systemic racism and pledging full commitment for all legislative reforms necessary to secure equal justice and equal treatment for Delaware’s Black community. The reality of Black disenfranchisement and systemic racism in our society today demands that legislators acknowledge their past failures and face their responsibilities to repair the damage.
Representative Kowalko said, “To begin healing the wounds suffered by Black people we must first acknowledge and accept our responsibilities in inflicting those wounds, whether by our actions or through a complicity of silence.”
State Representative Ray Seigfried added that “Meaningful change will require a deeper commitment from all of us. As I confront this situation head-on, I realize that this is more than just banning chokeholds or kneeholds. It’s also about civil rights, public trust, community policing, national standards, transparency, and accountability. It’s about Federal, State, and local legislative changes that together will create new behaviors from law enforcement, institutions, and agencies to protect every citizen equally.”
In addition Representative Paul Baumbach notes that “There is no excuse that parents of Black children must still have ‘the Talk,’ due to the persistent gulf between policing of White and Black America. The murder of George Floyd has led to the raising of voices across our state and country, demanding change. We must act, now.”
“Delaware’s white State Legislators comprise more than 85% of the total body and that significant imbalance makes it obvious with whom the responsibility for change rests,” concluded Representative Kowalko.
The letter of support is below.