Statement by the Greater North County Chamber on Injustice

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed during a violent encounter with the Minneapolis Police Department.  Mr. Floyd’s death was tragic and egregious.  The events after Mr. Floyd’s death provided both hope and despair.  Hope as many people from different ethnicities, religions, economic backgrounds, and nations banded together to express outrage at the evil presented in the form of a video.  Despair, as a nominal group of individuals opportunistically seized this tragedy to carry out despicable acts against neighbors, property, and businesses, which also resulted in the death of Captain David Dorn.

At this time, our nation and the world has had its eyes opened to injustices.  The wounds of our past have had the band-aid ripped off of them and have left us at an all too familiar crossroads.  We cannot erase history, but we can learn from it.  We can learn a long-overdue lesson and forge ahead with a new spirit of connectedness and a determination to correct injustices that have been experienced by our neighbors.

As a chamber, we send our heartfelt condolences to all victims of injustice and renew our commitment to ensuring that our members, partner organizations, and community have the opportunity to succeed.  We will continue to work with business, community, and civic leaders to foster relationships that benefit all people, regardless of the color of their skin, sexual orientation, the place they worship, or their economic standing.

We call on our members, and the community at large, to do whatever they can to actively work to end racism in all its forms.  It is no longer acceptable to say I am not biased; I am not racist.  “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.”