In the wake of George Floyd’s tragic killing, Minnesotans are searching for answers and demanding change. As we mourn the loss of a neighbor, we also remember Jamar Clark, Philando Castile, and countless other black men and women across this country who have lost their lives to police violence.
As protests and unrest rock our community, we must not only advocate for responses to this horrific incident, but also address larger questions: How will policymakers and lawyers lead the way for real systemic change? How will our current and future leaders move beyond just thoughts and prayers alone? Where do we, as individuals, stand?
[image_caption]Garry W. Jenkins[/image_caption]
With the weight of our institutional namesakes, our students, alumni, and all who entrust our schools to lead, we applaud those who have risen up to advocate for justice and to demand that more action be taken. For our Twin Cities community to thrive, we cannot remain silent or complacent in the face of such blatant injustice.
A fundamental betrayal of the public trust
As legal and public policy educators we insist on evidence-based decision-making and advocate for the rule of law. We, however, need no more evidence or jurisprudence to convince us that the death of George Floyd was unnecessary and wrong. It was a fundamental betrayal of the public trust. We fervently hope that the fatal, race-related violence against an unarmed African-American at the hands of the police will never happen again. Sadly, the facts suggest it will.
[image_caption]Laura L. Bloomberg[/image_caption]
Although this is a national problem, solutions must come from state and local communities. To be sure, the swift action by Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo in terminating the four police officers most closely involved in the death of Floyd was an important first step. Then another critical step was taken when fired police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter by Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. But, ultimately, we will all need to do more.
Structural changes are essential
Change often requires agitation and always requires hard work. All institutions must make the necessary structural changes to confront racism and race-based violence, whether intentional or unconscious. Yes, more officers should be held to account for killing unarmed people of color, but we also need new legislation, new policies, new training, and fundamentally new organizational cultures to begin to fix what lies beneath and progress toward true justice.
Over half a century ago Hubert Humphrey offered us wisdom that seems particularly resonant today: If there is dissatisfaction with the status quo, good. If there is ferment, so much the better. If there is restlessness, I am pleased. Then let there be ideas, and hard thought, and hard work.
Despite the current pain and anger, we firmly believe that the path forward will require citizens to learn from each other and from experts, to talk honestly and openly, to listen with open minds, and, ultimately, to reshape existing policies, practices, and perspectives. Minnesotans must channel our outrage into action and insist on a world in which safety and human rights are not dependent on one’s race or ethnicity.
We commit and rededicate ourselves to preparing our next generation of legal and public policy practitioners who will challenge racist and dysfunctional systems and devote their professional lives to the pursuit of justice and civil rights for all of society.
New voices, new partnerships needed
As Minnesota’s flagship law and public affairs schools, we will double down on our responsibility to serve and support the Twin Cities community — through our clinics, courses, internships, policy engagement, and scholarship. We need new voices and new partnerships, and we need them now.
We are deans of two of the nation’s pre-eminent law schools and graduate schools of public affairs; a black man and a white woman. Both Minnesotans and both Minneapolitans. Both heartsick, but also both more determined than ever in our quest to ignite change and advance justice in our troubled community and nation.
Garry W. Jenkins is dean of the University of Minnesota Law School; Laura L. Bloomberg is dean of the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. The views expressed are their own.
WANT TO ADD YOUR VOICE?
If you’re interested in joining the discussion, add your voice to the Comment section below — or consider writing a letter or a longer-form Community Voices commentary. (For more information about Community Voices, see our Submission Guidelines.)
Such as?
I agree with much of what is said here. However, I dissent from the idea it is now time for the violence to stop because it never should have begun. George Floyd’s family again yesterday asked for the end of violence. Common criminals and likely anarchists, who by definition oppose the rule of law, hijacked the proper peaceful protests. That became the focus of public attention, putting the victim in a secondary and often forgotten place. In a situation like this the leaders should be held accountable. It has been obvious for too long that the culture in the Minneapolis Police Department is sick. I am certain the authors are solid democrats. However, I hold the mayor and the police chief accountable for allowing this sick culture to reach the point where this atrocity occurred. If they are not responsible then who is? They both should be replaced. The section on necessary structural changes reads well, but it is devoid of practical and concrete suggestions. Minneapolis should request the DOJ to thoroughly review its police department from top to bottom. As part of that review citizens—and not just those of color—can share their experiences with police abuses. When the review is completed DOJ would inform the city what changes are needed and they would be mandatory. In recent years Ferguson, MO, and Cleveland, among others have been reviewed. That, at least is a concrete step and I hope the authors will use their prestigious positions to publicly urge Minneapolis to do that. I am a 1974 graduate of the U of M Law School.
This comment demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the power dynamics at work here, namely, the power of the police union. If you read union president Bob Kroll’s horribly racist letter to his members, you might start to understand what is happening. Reforms aren’t being stopped by local politicians. The two men that need to be replaced are Donald Trump and Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka.
AMEN.
I believe that the Black community in Minneapolis would disagree with Mr Hoover that the current mayor and police chief are primarily responsible for these events. No mention of the police union? No mention of the culture of institutional racism that has been a part of policing since at least the 60s, and before? What percentage of officers don’t even live in the city? The reality, I believe, is far more complex than picking two officials to blame. Also, I really don’t see the relevance of the authors’ alleged political affiliations if one is truly interested in going upstream to address the root causes. I suggest that we ALL need to take that journey regardless of affiliation.
As long as a large percentage of the white population refused to treat everyone respectfully and work on being better people, all the structural changes won’t help. This sort of help has been showing by people going in to clean up, the first step in rebuilding, and then writing checks.
We have a former President who illustrates this – Jimmy Carter. If Protestants has Saints, he would be one. Our Sinner in Chief is doing exactly the wrong things.
How powerful it would be for God to give him an an epiphany where he mobilizes the federal government to rebuild everything that had been destroyed. We need visible repairs to the damage to the fabric of our society.
I think society is based on trust, and the threat facing this society is that we no longer trust each other. We don’t trust science, we don’t trust elections, we don’t trust the other party, and the other party doesn’ trust us. The community no longer trusts the police, and the police have no confidence in the community at all.