Statement from the Nuclear Threat Initiative

The Nuclear Threat Initiative stands in solidarity with those across our country calling for justice in the wake of the horrifying killing of George Floyd.

We are deeply troubled by the underlying racial inequality and injustice that has led us to this moment, and we believe in the power of peaceful protest to effect change. We must all raise our voices to demand an end to the bigotry that infects our legal system, to the economic inequities that disproportionately affect African Americans, and to the discrimination and intolerance that poisons our communities. Those who use the tragic events that sparked this week’s protests to engage in violence and destruction must be held accountable. The economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionally affect minority communities, and damage to small businesses will make recovery even more difficult.

Our leaders and our institutions also must be held accountable for actions and inaction. Ours is a nation of significant regional, racial, ethnic, and economic diversity. The ongoing American challenge has always been to work together as a single community with common values and shared dependency. Reckless use by public figures of the language of war and military operations against their fellow citizens is dangerous and further tears apart the social fabric that needs repair. We all must heed the lessons of the civil rights movement that non-violence is the way to move our country in the right direction. Now more than ever, our nation’s soul and security depend on our success.

George Floyd’s life mattered—so must his death.