Statement about George Floyd

Statement about George Floyd
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First, we offer our condolences to the family of George Floyd. Amidst the wider issues that must be confronted in the wake of Mr Floyd’s killing, the pain and suffering that Mr Floyd endured, and that his family will endure for the rest of their lives, should not be underestimated or forgotten.

It is beyond heart-breaking that it took the horrific death of Mr Floyd to supercharge discussions about the mistreatment of black people in the United States and elsewhere in the world.  It would be a further tragedy if the current momentum were allowed to subside once Mr Floyd’s death is no longer a headline, or a trending topic on social media.

After all, Mr Floyd’s fate mirrors that of countless others: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Walter Scott, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, and Amadou Diallo to name but a few. Each death as senseless as Mr Floyd’s.

We have watched over the past 11 days, as displays of grief, anger and solidarity have played out in the form of protests across the United States and around the world, and in the form of statements on social media, opinion pieces in the news and public addresses.

We, as a firm, had initially not planned on saying anything in deference to those with greater authority as to the issues concerned. We now realise that, no matter how modest our platform, speaking up is important if anything is to change.

Moreover, and although the focus may currently be on the United States, we should not delude ourselves that racial prejudice is not a part of everyday life in the UK, other European countries and elsewhere.

Whilst we do not pretend to know how to go about dismantling and reversing centuries of systemic bias and discrimination, we are fairly certain that those of us who want to contribute to change, but feel ill-equipped to do so, can begin by further educating ourselves. To that end, see here for suggestions as to what to read, what to watch and what to listen to, and see here for lists of other useful resources and organisations seeking to make a change.

Although nothing can undo what happened to Mr Floyd, and the many other victims before him, one way of breaking the cycle of discrimination and injustice must be to ensure that the current impetus is not wasted, and instead results in actual, meaningful and permanent change. We can all contribute to that change – whether as individuals or businesses, whether by small or substantial acts.

We, as a law firm, will reflect carefully on what else we can do within the firm, and how we can use our position and resources to contribute to the disassembly of structural racism in society.

What to sign

You can support the fight against racism by signing petitions, such as those calling for:

Where to contribute

For those wishing to make contributions to:

Of course, there are many other organisations and petitions focused on fighting racial inequality and injustice, and the above are by no means intended to be an exhaustive list of worthy causes. See here for lists of other US and UK anti-racism charities. Before donating, do obviously conduct your own research to satisfy yourselves that you are donating effectively (see here for a guide on how to donate responsibly and effectively).

What else to read

For other informative material, here are links to some well-regarded texts:

 

Mike Morgan
Founding Partner
Morgan Sports Law

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