Inhumane assaults on Black and Brown people directly threaten us all. When law enforcement officers feel empowered to murder people they are sworn to protect and ordinary citizens come to believe they can invoke abusive police power against their fellow citizens, our society is beset by a plague much worse than a viral pandemic.

Where do we find hope in this dark time? Former President Barack Obama had this to say to the Class of 2020 on May 16.

Right now, when people are scared, it’s easy to be cynical and say let me just look out for myself, or my family, or people who look or think or pray like me. But if we’re going to get through these difficult times; if we’re going to create a world where everybody has the opportunity to find a job, and afford college; if we’re going to save the environment and defeat future pandemics, then we’re going to have to do it together. So be alive to one another’s struggles. Stand up for one another’s rights. Leave behind all the old ways of thinking that divide us — sexism, racial prejudice, status, greed — and set the world on a different path.

The National Sierra Club has stated, “The cruel, public lynching of George Floyd is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.  We cannot expect to come together to protect the planet if racism continues to tear us apart. The Sierra Club is committed to confronting the inequality embedded into our society that has allowed these tragedies to persist. If we want to create communities that are truly safe, just and equitable, we must continue fighting for the humanity and the dignity of all people.”

This status quo is not acceptable. Let’s look out for each other. Listen to each other. Let’s work together for a better future.