POLICE RACISM IN RESPONSE TO WHITE INSURRECTIONISTS

Daily Action

Jan 12

Jump to today’s actions:

Call the Senate
Call the House

Background

Nearly all the insurrectionists who desecrated the Capitol were white. As Speaker Pelosi said: “They chose their whiteness over democracy.”

US Rep. Karen Bass said if rioters were primarily Black, “blood would have been flowing down the halls of the Capitol.”

Generally, police engage even heavily armed white protesters as non-threatening. That’s true in DC and in statehouses across the country, and it’s especially true here in Oregon.

That attitude may help explain why Capitol police were purposefully understaffed even as protestors earlier swore to “Take the hill or die trying.”

Is racism built into policing? The harassment, brutalizing, and murders of unarmed Black Americans argues it is.

Police are overwhelmingly (72%) white and favor Republicans. They work in a culture that stereotypes Black men as dangerous. Several law enforcement officers took part in the coup.

One Black Capitol cop said his white colleagues were “catering to the rioters.” One even posed for selfies.

Structural racism isn’t only a problem in policing. It’s quantified in life expectancy data, infant mortality, voter suppression, wealth gaps, education, and many other areas.

White violence will continue until racism is uprooted. We must fight excessive response to racial justice protests here and across the country.

1. Call the Senate.

Script Oregon Senators

SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753

My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for supporting Trump’s impeachment and removal. We must do more, quickly. I ask that you: Fight voter suppression and support vote-by-mail. To keep majority rule alive in our Democracy, voting must be easy and secure for all Americans. Remove the seditionists -- including Cruz, Hawley and more than 100 House Republicans -- from Congress. Root out police racism by supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

SEN. WYDEN: Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for supporting Trump’s impeachment and the removal of Senators Hawley and Cruz. We must do more. I ask that you: Fight voter suppression and support vote-by-mail. To keep majority rule alive in our Democracy, voting must be easy and secure for all Americans. Root out police racism by supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].

Your party has now been branded, by Trump supporters and your Republican colleagues, as antidemocratic, and authoritarian. You can continue to stoke racism and division or you can start rebuilding your party based on truth, and protection of both the rule of law and majority rule.

2. Call the House.

Look up your rep.

Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)

Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for supporting Trump’s impeachment and removal. More must be done. I ask that you:

Remove the seditionists -- including more than 100 House Republicans -- from Congress. Support Cori Bush’s H.Res 25 which, under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, investigate and expel the GOP seditionists.
Fight voter suppression and support vote-by-mail. To keep majority rule alive in our Democracy, voting must be easy and secure for all Americans.
Root out police racism by supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)

Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Your objection to the Pennsylvania electoral vote helped fuel the coup attempt at the Capitol last week. It was a disgrace, no less so because you know it was only to pander to rabid, racist constituents. You should resign, along with the other seditionists.

Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)

Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for supporting Trump’s impeachment and removal. More must be done. I ask that you:

Remove the seditionists -- including more than 100 House Republicans -- from Congress. Support Cori Bush’s H.Res 25 which, under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, investigate and expel the GOP seditionists.
Fight voter suppression and support vote-by-mail. To keep majority rule alive in our Democracy, voting must be easy and secure for all Americans.
Root out police racism by supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)

Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for supporting Trump’s impeachment and removal. More must be done. I ask that you:

Remove the seditionists -- including more than 100 House Republicans -- from Congress. Support Cori Bush’s H.Res 25 which, under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, investigate and expel the GOP seditionists.
Fight voter suppression and support vote-by-mail. To keep majority rule alive in our Democracy, voting must be easy and secure for all Americans.
Root out police racism by supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)

Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for supporting Trump’s impeachment and removal. More must be done. I ask that you:

Remove the seditionists -- including more than 100 House Republicans -- from Congress. Support Cori Bush’s H.Res 25 which, under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, investigate and expel the GOP seditionists.
Fight voter suppression and support vote-by-mail. To keep majority rule alive in our Democracy, voting must be easy and secure for all Americans.
Root out police racism by supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.