[BwayDems] Words are not enough

[Council Member Mark Levine]

Friend --

George Floyd,  Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Amidou Diallo...their murders, and the murders of countless other black people, are not just the result of a few bad apples in police departments.  

They are a result of systemic racism that has led law enforcement to too often treat Black communities as enemies to confront, not fellow citizens to protect.

Countless New Yorkers are marching in our streets because this injustice can not be tolerated--not in law enforcement or health care or employment or any other sector of our society.

The voices of the protesters must be heard, their right to protest must be protected. The aggressive and even violent response to peaceful protest by the NYPD over the past week has done nothing but proven just how broken the current system is.

We need much more than words and rhetoric now. We need policy change.

We need to once and for all outlaw the use of chokeholds by police officers. I am a long-time co-sponsor of a bill to do just that, which will be coming to a vote in the City Council as early as next week.  

We need to repeal a State law, known as 50a, which shields the disciplinary records of police officers.

We need to fix the rules that determine when a police officer can use force--so that it’s only to prevent imminent serious injury or death, after all other options are exhausted, and with a verbal warning.

We need to fix the unacceptable imbalance in our budget, which is currently slated to cut 32% from youth development programs and virtually nothing from NYPD. This is unacceptable, we must make substantial cuts to NYPD so that funding can be channeled to vital social programs in education, health care, and more.

And while we pursue long-overdue justice in policing, we must continue to fight against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which itself is defined by racial inequality.

In case you missed it, check out my conversation with Dr. Uché Blackstock on the profound links between the two crises. 

 <http://www.languagesforall.nyc/>

 <https://youtu.be/8ZaNtF1H-6g>Watch my Conversation with Dr. Blackstock HERE <https://youtu.be/8ZaNtF1H-6g>

We have a long fight ahead on many fronts. This will not be easy.  But now is not a time for pulling back.  We need bold action now to once and for all fix what’s broken in this society.

Stay safe,

Mark

Absentee Voting for the June 23rd Primary



 <vote.nyc/page/absentee-voting>Apply for an Absentee Ballot for the June 23rd Primary <vote.nyc/page/absentee-voting>

Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, all New York City voters will be eligible to receive an absentee ballot for the upcoming June, 23rd Primary Elections. All New Yorkers have now been mailed an application to receive a mail-in ballot or you can fill it out online HERE <http://vote.nyc/page/absentee-voting> or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC (1-866-868-3692). 

You must send back or fill out the application online by June 16th to be eligible to vote absentee for the June 23rd Primary.

Congressman Adriano Espaillat has put together the helpful graphic above explaining how you can make sure you receive your ballot if you would like to vote absentee this year. 

You can check your registration and find early voting pollsiteHERE. <https://vote.nyc/>

COVID-19 Online Resource Center - Click Here for Updates <http://www.marklevine.nyc>




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If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact our office at (212) 928-6814 <https://www.languagesforall.nyc/r?u=A4oYUob8aNzHSss-CXKe7gaqiuP0BZKsKblzRlNEJhUQFn_gIFnhWOmhX5x3numAi6az6t7Gjtg_2CaNKCOhe-y4sJ5dlgtFAdj9edulNTam6OqmU5RTtRak-7e7UZ-P4dsgsWPCY5ErjTRjet0_-SPRyHGDvNn5htMauepX2Gt5sPymRjw61BIrk63op8Kvuinn97NKtXEsOIfte67IOw&e=ae0902ebcc5c29dab06658e8cb38fbb6&utm_source=marklevine&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=coronavirus_update_1&n=14> or district7 at council.nyc.gov.

Council Member Mark Levine



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Council Member Mark Levine - 500 West 141st Street, New York, NY 10031
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