Black Lives Matter

In our current environment, we face the most devastating disease we have ever encountered; moreover, it is an epidemic of historic proportions, which can no longer be quietly tolerated. This epidemic’s global impact has strewn countless victims across generations—instilling fear and suppression. This ancient plague, which has never retreated, but at times just simply slept—only to be awakened through the stoking of anger and hatred—which has fueled its existence for centuries, is commonly known as racism.

Throughout modern history, the Labor Movement has been at the forefront of fighting against social and economic injustices. Our Labor Movement, which has experienced its own setbacks due to an oppression of employee rights has faced immense scrutiny, divisiveness, suppression, and countermeasures to our successes aimed to make us fail, so when our brothers and sisters in any social struggle face the same or similar circumstances, we do not cower, hide, or retreat—we stand with them, we support them, and we fight for them!

The struggle of racial injustice has been a tired, centuries-old, pathetic tradition of the worst kind against our Native American, Asian, Hispanic, and African American brothers and sisters, of which we cannot remain silent. Today, our Black brothers and sisters are under attack from racist vigilante-types in law enforcement who are not worthy of the badge of which they are supposed to represent. Therefore, we unabashedly stand with our Black brothers and sisters, including through the Black Lives Matter movement; and we unashamedly support our brothers and sisters in law enforcement—those who do not condone the type of aggressive actions taken by their racist law enforcement counterparts against Black men and women—in various communities across the United States.

In order to heal and move forward, we must take an introspective look at our societal systems; then we must open our minds to understanding the plights of our brothers and sisters who are different than we are; and finally, we must question the existence of institutional and systemic racism—wherever it exists. Black lives matter because unlike police officers, Black men and women cannot decide to shed their skin as easily as a police officer can remove his or her uniform or change careers. Black lives matter because they are clearly being targeted at this time, while those of other races are not currently facing intense levels of scrutiny resulting in harassment, assault, and even death.

Council 100 supports both the Black Lives Matter movement and our law enforcement officers. We wholeheartedly and unequivocally condemn and detest rioting, violence, or any other form of destruction— just as much as we condemn and detest the continued mistreatment of our Black brothers and sisters. We know we will face adversity, as a Union and as a movement—but when that time comes, as it does for all who seek justice—it will be our Black brothers and sisters leading the fight with us, as we stand with them now against all forms of racial injustice.

But at this time, in this moment, it is our turn to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. It is our duty to take the lead and support their need, because it is not just about ourselves, our families, or our self-interests; it’s about all of us, as a collective—one link forged in the fire. Together.

In Unity and Solidarity,

AFGE Council 100 Executive Board