We Need Your Help Again, Today!
July 28, 2020
Hello MMCT Family!
Pamela and I with so many of our friends and partners from across the state have worked hard around issues of police accountability, brutality and overreach. We are now at this moment in Connecticut state history to respond to the swell of support to do something meaningful regarding policing.
The Connecticut General Assembly went into special session Thursday the July 23rd and the House did it’s job. They passed it. Now, today, it’s the Senate turn. They will be considering LCO #3471, “An Act Concerning Police Accountability.”
Pamela and I both submitted written testimony to the Judiciary Committee who held a listening session on Friday, July 17th for the bill. Here is the link to my written testimony https://moralmondayct.org/2020/07/22/bishop-jss-written-testimony-on-the-police-accountability-bill/ and here’s the link to Pamela’s written testimony https://moralmondayct.org/2020/07/22/pamela-selders-written-testimony-on-police-accountability/.
This bill includes some important things like banning qualified immunity for police and banning stop and frisk. And to be anticipated, the policing’s political machine is trying hard to stop this bill from passing, especially the most important parts like ending qualified immunity. Here a link on the ACLU’s very fine discussion of qualified immunity. https://www.acluct.org/en/news/what-qualified-immunity The Rev. Josh Pawelek, one of MMCT’s leaders has offered a well discussion of qualified immunity for your consideration as well. Here’s the link:
Policing threatens Black and Brown people’s lives, and it has killed at least five people in Connecticut this year alone. Every state senator has a responsibility to stand up for Black and Brown lives and to value those lives over the policing lobby’s fearmongering tactics.
Particularly, the following State Senators need to here from folks in their districts,
- State Senator Cathy Osten (D), Representing Columbia, Franklin, Hebron, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Marlborough, Montville, Norwich & Sprague
- State Senator Steve Cassano (D), Representing Andover , Bolton, Glastonbury & Manchester
- State Senator Norm Needleman (D), Representing Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland & Westbrook
- State Senator Christine Cohen (D), Representing Branford, Durham, Guilford, Killingworth, Madison & North Branford
- State Senator Mae Flexer (D), Representing Brooklyn, Canterbury, Killingly, Mansfield, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson & Windham
- State Senator Alex Kasser (D), Representing Greenwich, New Canaan & Stamford
We need you to pause from your ordinary immediately and get in touch with your State Senator either by email or by phone telling them to take a step toward police accountability by passing LCO #3471 to include qualified immunity. Here is a link to find out who your State Senator is and their contact info. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp.
Thank you for your support!
Pamela Selders & Bishop JS