Letter to my MP on racism in the US and UK

Here is the text of a letter I wrote to my MP today via writetothem.com:

Dear [], I am writing to you to express my growing horror at the ongoing police violence and brutality Black protesters are facing in the US, and the UK's disturbing silence on the matter. These protests, begun as peaceful demonstrations against the state-enabled murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department, have been escalated by the US police, who are using excessive force against protesters practising their civic rights. If this were a non-white country, Western countries would have denounced this brutality; instead, the UK has elected to remain silent. I am painfully aware that the UK itself suffers from many racist structures. Thanks to systematic injustice, the recent pandemic has impacted BAME people at a vastly higher rate than white people. The death of Belly Mujinga, caused by a racist attack and by her presence at work despite underlying conditions that should have resulted in paid leave, was horrifying and preventable, and the dropped inquiry utterly disgraceful. I ask you personally to:

• write to the Foreign Secretary asking for a strong statement of condemnation of police brutality in the US,
• make it a personal priority to address the systematic injustice of unfair outcomes for BAME people in the UK,
• ensure that the government responds materially to the report on BAME COVID-19 deaths,
• insist on a full enquiry into the circumstances surrounding Belly Mujinga's death. Yours sincerely, []

Inspired by: @anahitrooz.