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defund12 / defund12.org

defund12.org
https://defund12.org/
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Defund Woodbury, MN PD #1078

Open sheagithub opened 4 years ago

sheagithub commented 4 years ago

To:

council@woodburymn.gov,

Subject: [include unique subject]

Body: Dear Mayor Burt and Woodbury City Council,

My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a resident of [YOUR CITY, STATE]. I stand in solidarity with protesters across the country who are out in the streets in response to the horrific murders of George Floyd, a Black man, by the Minneapolis police, and are appalled by the recent murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and countless others. More broadly, we call for an end to police terror and anti-Blackness.

People have been left without the resources they need. Jobs and livelihoods will take a long time to recover. And most of all, Black citizens of Woodbury continue to live in a city that is currently upholding the Woodbury Department, which has brutalized and taken too many Black lives, including the life of Mark Henderson in 2012 Therefore, we will no longer accept empty gestures and suggestions of reform.

I call on the Woodbury City Council to take the following actions -

Redirect funds divested from policing to provide educational opportunities for communities impacted by police violence.
Commit resources to support community-led alternatives to policing.
Propose plans for ensuring the safety of Black and other marginalized people in our community from racial profiling by police and other security forces with input from members of the marginalized communities themselves.
Issue statements condemning these recent murders.

Although the murder of George Floyd was the catalyst for these recent protests, it was not the sole cause. Black people have been subjected to centuries of state terror, and economic and social exclusion. The current protests reflect concerned members of society taking direct, collective action to demand an end to the abuse and violence directed against Black people. I am urging you, and the Woodbury City Council, to adopt a budget that defunds the police and funds non-violent, community-led, health and safety strategies.

Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR ADDRESS] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]

skullface commented 4 years ago

Hi @sheagithub! Thanks for your interested adding Woodbury to the site with this powerful letter. Can you provide more detail about the city budget to make a more compelling argument, showing the disparities in numbers?

Please see our email style guide for some suggestions.

Thank you!