Jimmy Carter: ‘No more’ to racial discrimination, government actions undermining democracy

Former President Jimmy Carter issued a statement Wednesday blasting racial discrimination and “government actions that undermine our unified democracy” amid the ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd.

“Rosalynn and I are pained by the tragic racial injustices and consequent backlash across our nation in recent weeks. Our hearts are with the victims’ families and all who feel hopeless in the face of pervasive racial discrimination and outright cruelty. We all must shine a spotlight on the immorality of racial discrimination,” Carter said in a statement issued through the Carter Center. “But violence, whether spontaneous or consciously incited, is not a solution.”

STATEMENT FROM FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER

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— The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) June 3, 2020

“Since leaving the White House in 1981, Rosalynn and I have strived to advance human rights in countries around the world. In this quest, we have seen that silence can be as deadly as violence,” Carted added. “People of power, privilege, and moral conscience must stand up and say ‘no more’ to a racially discriminatory police and justice system, immoral economic disparities between whites and blacks, and government actions that undermine our unified democracy. We are responsible for creating a world of peace and equality for ourselves and future generations.”

The former president cites his experience “as a white male of the South” who grew up while segregation was the law of the land, and his denunciation of racial discrimination in his 1971 inaugural address as governor of Georgia.

“Dehumanizing people debases us all; humanity is beautifully and almost infinitely diverse,” Carter wrote. “The bonds of our common humanity must overcome the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.”

Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis last week after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest despite Floyd’s protests that he was unable to breathe. Chauvin was initially charged with second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder, with the charges upgraded Wednesday by state Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) to second-degree murder.