UUSC Applauds 3 Guilty Verdicts in Derek Chauvin Trial

April 20, 2021

In response to the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, UUSC President and CEO Rev. Mary Katherine Morn released the following statement:

“Let us be clear: While welcomed, this verdict is the exception and not the rule in this country. From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile to Freddie Gray, this nation has a sordid and deeply shameful history of denying justice when it comes to the extinguishing of Black life. We see this injustice, we feel this injustice, we understand this injustice, and we are resolute in our declaration that BLACK LIVES MATTER; they always have and they always will. This verdict is a clarion call; it is a public demand that we re-examine our systems and institutions and rebuild them in a way that prioritizes the dignity and worth of each and every one of us. It is a rebuke of past injustices and a clear and concise mandate that we re-envision how we police our communities, how we relate to one another as human beings.

The legacy of racism, bigotry, and anti-Black sentiment coloring the entire history of this nation was rebuffed in one simple, but powerful word that holds a white man responsible for snuffing out the life of a Black man.

This verdict carries with it a resounding message that white supremacy, and the deadly way it plays out in how our communities are policed, must be reigned in and dismantled in the pursuit of justice. It is a message that the unadulterated animus towards the lives of Black people will no longer be casually accepted by a jury of one’s peers.

While this verdict is at the forefront of our minds today, tomorrow we must reconcile ourselves with the fact that our nation aches right now, and so does the world. When and where we can, we will continue to fight racism in pursuit of repairing the harms inflicted upon all of us by white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism; restoring justice for Black people and every community that has suffered from injustice; and reimagining and building a world where anti-Black oppression is dismantled and the worth and dignity of each of us is upheld as part of a beloved global community of peace, harmony and unity.”

***

About UUSC: Guided by the belief that all people have inherent worth and dignity, UUSC advances human rights globally by partnering with affected communities who are confronting injustice, mobilizing to challenge oppressive systems, and inspiring and sustaining spiritually grounded activism for justice. We invite you to join us in this journey toward realizing a better future!

Photo Credit: iStock – wildpixel