September 28, 2016
 | By Michael BruneExecutive Director |
Senseless tragedies like the recent police shootings of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina, can fill us with despair and leave us feeling helpless. The list of unjustified killings of black people in our nation -- a list that was too long when it had even one name on it -- continues to grow. But as long as we have a voice, we are not helpless -- and we should only truly despair if we're afraid to raise that voice in the name of justice.
The Sierra Club's mission is to protect both the natural and human environment. We cannot claim to truly fulfill that mission if our volunteers, our staff, our members, our partners, and our communities are forced to live with the violence and hate of racism on a daily basis. Racist acts of violence tear apart the fabric of humanity in ways that actively work against our ability to protect and create environments for all people to enjoy and feel safe.
Black Lives Matter, and that is why we continue to stand in solidarity with those demanding justice, accountability, and action to confront the racism and inequality that has allowed these tragedies to persist.
As details emerge about these tragedies, the Sierra Club calls on the authorities involved to invite community feedback and to practice transparency to the fullest extent possible.
We send our love and compassion to the families of those killed, knowing that their lives will never be the same. We also know that thoughts are not enough in a country where black men, women, and children live in fear of any interaction with law enforcement. That is why we cannot and will not remain silent.
As we've stated before, standing boldly against racism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, sexism and other forms of hate is the only way we can tear down the systems of oppression and exclusion that have divided our country for far too long.