(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Dear Mayor Curtatone,

We are a group of dozens of public health students and professionals at Boston University School of Public Health – several from Somerville, some from surrounding cities and towns – who have been witnessing the recent debate over the ‘Black Lives Matter’ banner outside of your City Hall with intense interest. We view the deaths of unarmed black citizens by police as well as the tragic deaths of law enforcement officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge with grief and horror. The manner and frequency at which unarmed black citizens have been killed reinforces the truth that black people in the United States are at increased risk of police violence unlike any other group of people.

Without addressing racism and recognizing biases, the services that law enforcement officers and City Hall workers provide may ultimately end up replicating systems of oppression. These systems of oppression both inform and lead to the distrust of police in certain communities, particularly when officers are not held accountable for actions resulting in the deaths of primarily black citizens who were unarmed.

As a city servant elected to serve the interests of the entire community, we recognize your influence and power. In committing to not removing the banner, you have taken a principled stance that has brought you much undue attention and criticism, including from a few of the very city employees you work with. As public health students and professionals, we applaud your efforts, thank you, and support you in your dedication to speaking the truth that a person can both declare that ‘Black Lives Matter’ and believe that law enforcement officers’ lives matter as well. We also wish to thank you for not succumbing to the co-opting/deflection that some seek in replacing the current banner with ‘All Lives Matter.’ Rather, you have affirmed that ‘Black Lives Matter’ is not a claim that ONLY black lives matter but an acknowledgment that, even up to now, the systems we live under (which police are a part of) have not treated black lives equitably or valued them as much as the lives of other races. We have not lived as if black lives do matter.

Thank you for your service to the city of Somerville and for using your platform and voice in this way to make a difference.

Sincerely,

The Racial Justice Talking Circle
Boston University School of Public Health