Over 46,000 people have signed an online petition urging President Obama to invite the families of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice to attend the State of the Union Address next week.
Last month, members of the Congressional Black Caucus proposed inviting the families of the men who made headlines after being killed by white police officers. Every member of the caucus has condemned the justice system’s response to the killings and the failure to indict the police officers responsible for the killings, which sparked nationwide outrage.
The petition posted by Care2 is well on its way to gaining its desired 47,000.
“Federal data shows that young black men are 21 times more likely to be shot by police than are young white men,” the petition reads. “As civil rights hero Rep. John Lewis said, inviting these families to attend the State of the Union ’would help educate and sensitize other members [of Congress] and humanize some of the issues that we’re going to confront.’ “
Every year, the president invites special guests to the State of the Union; those guests are typically national heroes, outstanding students and business leaders.
Petitioners wrote that inviting the Brown, Garner, and Rice families to attend would send a message to Congress to begin a conversation about racial policing brutality.
“It is time for our Nation to engage in the uncomfortable discussions of race, policing, and economic equality,” wrote David Clarke of Camas, Washington. “Invite the Brown and Garner families and facilitate the start of the necessary (and long overdue) national debate.”
“It is time to make a visual statement for justice on a national stage, and I can think of no better way to do it!” wrote Henry Bennett of Portland, Maine.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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