Statement on Racism in the United States

By End the Wars Coalition in Milwaukee

We, the members of the End the Wars Coalition in Milwaukee, condemn the violent actions taken against our brothers and sisters.
We recognize that simply because of the color of their skin, Black and brown people have been systematically denied opportunities to accumulate wealth, too often live in environmentally toxic places, are incarcerated at levels disproportionate to their numbers in the population and have been killed in the name of law enforcement since the time of lynching. It is unacceptable that this occurs in the land where "all men are created equal."

We also recognize that racism affects everyone, including Black and brown people across all income levels. Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging in his Georgia neighborhood. Christian Cooper, who was bird watching in Central Park, asked a woman to put her dog on a leash. She responded by calling police and reporting that an African American man was threatening her life. Again, this is unacceptable.

We understand the anger and frustration of people who are still under the knee of a racist society. Yet, we cannot condone any violent actions. We call upon all people to follow the example of a life of non-violence of Dr. Martin Luther King and John Lewis. "Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that."

We call upon Congress to cut the military budget by $350 billion dollars. We also support the call to cut spending on the Milwaukee Police Department by $75 million. These funds should then be allocated to programs that support people. We also call for an end to military equipment and federal troops being sent to our cities.
We also recognize that too little has changed in the 52 years since Dr. King's assassination. That is unacceptable. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of color as the struggle continues.

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MILWAUKEE CRISIS RESPONSE AND CARE SYSTEM: A LETTER FROM THE COMMUNITY

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BLACK LIVES MATTER AND ALLIES