Jimmy Carter Calls for a Spotlight on ‘the Immorality of Racial Discrimination’

Former President 👤Jimmy Carter is speaking out about the unrest in the U.S. following the death of 👤George Floyd.

Noting that he and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter are “pained by the tragic racial injustices and consequent backlash across our nation in recent weeks,” they said that their “hearts are with the victims’ families and all who feel hopeless in the face of pervasive racial discrimination and outright cruelty.”

In a statement released Wednesday, Carter denounced the violence that has taken place over the past week, as he said the violent protests are “not a solution.”

“We all must shine a spotlight on the immorality of racial discrimination. But violence, whether spontaneous or consciously incited, is not a solution,” he wrote.

He continued:

“e have seen that silence can be as deadly as violence. People of power, privilege, and moral conscience must stand up and say ‘no more’ to a racially discriminatory police and justice system, immoral economic disparities between whites and blacks, and government actions that undermine our unified democracy.”

“We are responsible for creating a world of peace and equality for ourselves and future generations,” he concluded his statement. “We need a government as good as its people, and we are better than this.”

Protests have erupted in cities across the nation, as unrest continues as people are seeking justice for Floyd, whose neck was pinned down by a now-former Minneapolis police officer’s knee. He then died in police custody.