Santa Maria/Lompoc branch of NAACP releases statement on death of Tyre Nichols
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The Santa Maria/Lompoc Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) released a statement on the death of Tyre Nichols.
“January 7th, was another sad day in American where the system failed Tyre Nichols, the Wells family, Black America, and America," said Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt, Santa Maria/Lompoc NAACP president. "Pained, dismayed, angry, hurt, sad and disappointed that in the greatest country in the world and with our system of justice, we continue to struggle with the 245-year-old issues of systemic/institutional racism."
Tyre Nichols was a 29-year-old man who died on Jan. 10 from injuries inflicted by police officers three days earlier in Memphis, Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
"I have repeatedly watched the video recordings of Mr. Nichols's murder, and forever etched in my mind is the dehumanizing way he was treated, the excessive use of force, the repeated pepper spraying, the unyielding use of the baton, the kicking and stomping, and his cries for his mom," continued Lyons-Pruitt. "How could he possibly surrender? Surrender for what? To be beaten to death?"
Lyons-Pruitt said that now is the time for individuals and communities nation-wide to examine themselves and to "stop beating around the subject of systemic/institutional racism, racial hatred, discrimination, inequalities and inequities."
"Some have said, they will not watch the video recording. My question is why not?"
The local NAACP branch president asked different reasons why someone may choose not to view the videos, providing examples such as "Is it too shocking to your senses to wake up and realize that if you have a Black or Brown child your child is likely to be dragged from the car for “reckless driving” and murdered?"
Lyons-Pruitt then quoted founding father, Benjamin Franklin, Athenian law maker, Solon, and others, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
"The Santa Maria/Lompoc Branch of the NAACP extends our deepest condolences to the Nichols/Wells family and call on all Americans to remember Tyre Nichols, his family and this brutal murder. We further call on Congress to “reimagine policing” and pass The George Floyd Justice Act, now," said Lyons-Pruitt.
