Former State Senator JP Morrell Releases Statement on Anniversary of Murder of George Floyd

It’s been a year since the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer. Many would like to say that the conviction of George Floyd’s murderer, Derek Chauvin, within that year denotes real progress. 

Temper that optimism. Many communities of color haven’t seen the reform we all fought for over the last year, and several bills necessary to cement the nominal gains we’ve been promised have been blocked at the federal level.  What we have fought for is justice, what we got with Chauvin’s conviction was the first step towards accountability.

In Louisiana, we have seen some progress this year.  The efforts of people like Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Chair Ted James as well as Representatives. Randal Gaines and Edmond Jordan to move legislation to bring fundamental fairness to the criminal justice system is historic.  The efforts of Representative Cedric Glover to decriminalize marijuana is a game changer for the number one charge selectively used to harass black people.

This should make me feel hopeful, but I’m not there yet.

In New Orleans, lack of economic opportunity, stagnant wages and governmental apathy have left me with a feeling of dread. While many focus on what government has done TO our community, there is not enough focus on what government should do FOR our community. 

The plight of New Orleans has never been just about crime or about how we are treated by law enforcement. It’s about the cycles of economic inequality, gentrification and the overall laissez faire approach of government that seems more fixated on generating the bare minimum revenue necessary to function versus improving the lives of the people who live here and make our city thrive. 

If we’ve learned anything over this last year, it’s been that the movement for change in this country was ignited by the people and is continued by the people. George Floyd was not a celebrity or politician; he was just like many of our people in our families. He was a black man, living his life while trying to do right by his child. His life was taken, and the government was more concerned with covering up his death than solving it, but for a black girl with a cell phone. Politics failed but the people did not. 

In the first two weeks of this campaign, I’ve heard something loud and clear. My sisters and brothers are tired. They’ve been burned too many times by politicians over promising and under delivering (if they deliver at all). Collectively, our community is skeptical of everything because it seems like nothing will ever change and our public servants are acting more like politicians. 

Any rational person would feel that way. BE SKEPTICAL but do not lose hope. It is the job of those who seek your vote to EARN it. Judge us by what we have done versus what we say we’ll do. Hold us accountable for our failures and shortcomings but help us as we try to do right.

We are not the country that George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, or Emmett Till deserved. 

Take today to reflect and recommit to the struggle to make our country, our state, and our city worthy of the sacrifices so many have made . . . and will continue to make. 

Tomorrow let’s continue the work, together. 

JP