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The Congressional Tri-Caucus Statement on the Lynching of
Ahmaud Arbery
The chairmen of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus (CHC) — also known as the Congressional
Tri-Caucus – have released the following statement on the
racially motivated killing of Ahmaud Arbery, who was
targeted by two white men, while jogging in his
neighborhood:
“On February 23, 2020, a
young Ahmaud Arbery’s life was cut short because two White
men were uncomfortable with an unarmed Black man jogging in
the neighborhood they shared. What the world witnessed on
the video that leaked was yet another racially-motivated
murder in our country. How many times will we continue to
see such heinous acts of White supremacy? And how many times
will it take a national public outcry to result in an
arrest? We have come to a critical juncture in our country,
where we must be honest with ourselves and call these crimes
what they really are - lynchings. Arbery was targeted,
harassed, and then killed. His death is a vicious reminder
that the past is never that far away. As recently as two
years ago, a White man who lynched a Black man was convicted
and executed. This is why the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Bill
needs to be passed and signed in to law. This bill passed
the House in February and is still sitting on the desk of
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to be taken up for a
vote. It is unfortunate that at a time when our communities
are being devastated by COVID-19, we are also saddled with
pain of modern-day lynchings,” said Congresswoman Karen Bass
(CA-23), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“Were it not for the
horrific video that showed two White men deliberately
hunting down an unarmed Black man while he was simply out on
his daily jog, there might never have been justice for the
cold-blooded murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Even now, justice is
not guaranteed, as shown by our country’s poor track record
of successfully prosecuting the murders of unarmed Black men
and boys. Ahmaud was killed solely because of his skin
color, just as so many before him have been. This is a fear
felt acutely in the Black community and we must take action
to address the deep-seated racism and inequities in our
society that have enabled these atrocities to happen.
Ahmaud’s killers must be brought to justice to send a clear
signal that vigilantes and White supremacists who decide to
act on nothing but their own prejudices are criminals who
will be held accountable for their actions,” said
Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), chairwoman of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
“Justice can never be fully
achieved because Ahmaud Arbery, a young black man with a
beautiful future, should still be alive. The arrest of his
accused killers is delayed and necessary news, but it is
merely the first step for holding those responsible for his
death accountable for their actions. From Ahmaud Arbery in
Georgia to Sean Reed in Indiana to Michael Ramos in Texas,
young people of color are not free from persecution and are
afraid for their safety. We have all witnessed the
injustice, and now we must marshal our collective moral and
political will for systemic reform and real change," said
Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), chairman of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
While the father and son duo
Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael have finally been
arrested and charged for their crime, history has shown us
that this is not enough. For justice to be served for Ahmaud
Arbery and his family, all involved parties must be
arrested, tried and convicted to the highest extent of the
law for their role in his murder. No one is above the law. |
Ahmaud Arbery
Congresswoman Karen Bass
Congresswoman Judy Chu
Congressman Joaquin Castro |
