Editor’s Note: U.S. Representative Katherine Clark (D-Melrose), the vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, the sixth level of House leadership among the Democrats, sent a mass-email message on Thursday, June 4, 2020 in her native language.
Below are tiny images of the email message, followed by the text of the email message in normal-size letters (with graphics omitted and boldface replaced by plain text) interrupted by commentary.
Here’s a legend for the commentary:
translation
[internal notes for staff]
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Hello Friend,
I don’t know you but I’m about to try to use you
Ahmad Arbery. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd.
These Americans have been added to a centuries long list of Black men and women in America who have been profiled, brutalized, and murdered because of the color of their skin. Their deaths are a result of racism that continues to plague America and the complete lack of accountability for those responsible.
[David: Make sure that sentence about the arrests of the cops in Minneapolis is taken out. Totally irrelevant.]
The criminal justice system does not function equally for all Americans, and that must change immediately.
We have to make it worse before we can make it worse than that.
It is not enough to acknowledge the racism that led to these murders: we have to fight for change so that every mom and spouse has the same assumption of safety for their family that I have for mine.
[David: Good catch on “dad.” That was a close one.]
As my dear friend and colleague Rep. Ayanna Pressley said, “change can only come when we organize for it, when we mobilize for it, and when we demand it.”
[David: Make sure she actually said this. I am terrified of this woman. What if she comes after me?]
We must start by reforming our law enforcement policies.
Whatever they are.
Black Americans are disproportionately arrested, injured, and killed by the police
, and the roots behind this racial inequity run far deeper than individual officers.
Because if they didn’t, we’d have no campaign issue here, people.
There is a separate legal and political framework that shields police from consequences, gives them special rights when defending themselves, and often trains them to fear the communities that they are supposed to protect.
Those secret separate courts for police officers have to go. So does that alleged right to “self-defense,” which is just another code word for racism. And you know all about that course in the police academy that teaches cops to fear people.
Ben Affleck, David Spade, Madonna, that second daughter on The Waltons: your day of “hold accountability” is coming.
We must fundamentally change the way we police in America.
But not so much in Melrose, where I live. You guys are great!
In the coming days and weeks, the House of Representatives, led by my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus,
We’re going to do whatever they say for about three weeks
will be voting on civil rights legislation
we’re coming for your civil rights
to address the systemic injustices
Nothing to do with term limits
faced by Black Americans.
Or at least the ones on TV.
We must meet this moment with action.
Read: No riots where we live.
Please know that I will continue to fight against systemic racism
to fight for systemic racism
and work together with my colleagues to create an America where justice means justice for all.
Which means they’ll make me Speaker.
Sincerely,
Not sincerely
Katherine Clark
Member of Congress (MA-05)
[David: Make sure that sentence mentioning the riots doesn’t appear. Better safe than sorry. Also: Hold off on that part about de-funding the police, until we hear back from Nancy.]
