Hon. Michael E. Stammel, Chairperson, Hon. Steven F. McLauglin
and Hon. Members Rensselaer County Office Building
Rensselaer County Legislature 1600 Seventh Avenue
1600 Seventh Avenue Troy, New York 12180
Troy, New York 12180
October 5, 2020
Dear Members of the Rensselaer County Legislature, Chairperson
Stammel, and Rensselaer County Executive McLauglin:
We, the undersigned residents of Stephentown, New York, wish to commend the members of the Rensselaer County Legislature for the passage of Resolution No. P/35, honoring the late Congressman John Lewis and his service “by renewing Rensselaer County’s commitment to ensuring that the principles and ideals of the American promise are available to all citizens and that justice is afforded to all Americans.” (Title of Resolution P/35, page [p.] 1.) However, in light of the Legislature’s acknowledgement of both our Country’s historic racism and of the activism necessary to combat this injustice – activism in which Congressman Lewis was engaged throughout his life – we are dismayed that the Legislature has failed to pass any resolution that would give substance and demonstrate commitment to its own words. In particular, although the Legislature has had at least three opportunities in the last couple of months, it refuses to acknowledge our Country’s continuing structural racism, fails to develop a plan or to otherwise take action to combat racism, and declines support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
In Resolution P/35, members of the Legislature acknowledge “the unfortunate reality that . . . throughout its history, our country has at times failed to live up to its promise that all Americans be afforded the same access to . . . rights and liberties”; that Black people were among those who chiefly “were denied full access”; and that John Lewis was inspired by and engaged in activism, including boycotts, demonstrations, the Freedom Rides, and marches – all to battle the injustices that Black people confronted (p.1).
Unanimously, members of this body found that George Floyd’s murder was tragic and has led to “a renewed call to address inequalities throughout our country which has resulted in political and civil leaders across all levels engaging in discussions on how to address” these inequities. Based on the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that “[i]njustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” the Legislature “renews its commitment and stands with those, like the late John Lewis, who have strived to ensure that all Americans enjoy equal treatment under the law.”
The Legislature’s failure to go beyond honoring Congressman Lewis as an extraordinary individual is unacceptable and entirely irreconcilable with the assertions that are the bases for the honor it extends. The members of the Legislature cannot have it both ways.They cannot, on the one hand, acknowledge historic racism and honor Lewis’ activist responses to it and then, on the other hand, oppose resolutions that address the continued existence and destructive power of racism and the critical need for activism to combat it. The defeated resolutions set out some of the logical next steps in any serious intent to fight racism and are within the spirit of the words that the entire Legislature endorsed. Absent resolve to take the next steps in combatting racism despite the fine language in P/35 – which itself compels further action – we must conclude that the Rensselaer County Legislature’s Resolution honoring Congressman John Lewis is tainted with cynicism and dishonesty.
As reported in the September 4, 2020 edition of the Eastwick Press(p. 3), the reasons that the Legislature gives for not considering a resolution supporting Black Lives Matter and opposing racism are that “having been defeated twice before . . . to go through the process again ‘is a waste of time’ [and] the points raised in the resolution were already addressed . . . [in the] resolution that honored the late Congressman John Lewis.” These reasons are pret; they ring hollow in light of logic, experience, common sense and their inconsistency with the reasons that the same Legislature relied on to honor Congressman John Lewis.
It strains credulity to believe that important legislation at any level of government does not often – even usually – require extensive and time-consuming discussion, perhaps multiple amendments and repeated attempts at passage. (As examples, think about the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and locally,Local Law #2 [2015] of the County of Rensselaer, New York Drinking Water Protection Law.) Repeated consideration of and eventual passage of resolutions supporting Black Lives Matter and acknowledging the existence of structural racism and the need to fight it are simply examples of the striving “to ensure that all Americans enjoy equal treatment under the law,” in which this Legislature only about a month ago found favor.
Continued consideration of legislation addressing racism is wholly in accord with this Legislature’s assertion that there has been “a renewed call to address inequalities [that] has been heard throughout our country which has resulted in political and civil leaders across all levels engaging in discussions on how to address them.” (Resolution P/35, p. 2) Passage of resolutions such as those defeated – especially given the time and care required – would underscore the importance that this Legislature accords to the issue of racism and its divisive impact on our Country, our County, and on every individual – White, Black, and all People of Color. We want our Legislature to renew the call to address racial inequalities, just as it itself has observed is being done across our nation.
Structural racism in our country is alive and well. It is embedded in our society with the results that Black lives disproportionately experience and are at most risk of state-perpetrated violence, incarceration, environmental discrimination, poor or no healthcare, unlivable housing conditions, and limitations on economic and educational opportunities. While it is beyond dispute that all lives matter, it beggers the imagination to fail to see that Black lives are at the greatest risk of harm and that this harm is attributable to deep-seated racism.
Contrary to Mr. Stammel’s contention in the September 4 Eastwick Pressarticle, Resolution P/35 does not address the points that were raised in the defeated resolutions. Resolution P/35 does not acknowledge our current problem of structural racism; does not address the continued, unpredictable-but-frequent risk of state-sanctioned violence in the lives of Black and other people of Color; and does not even begin to reflect an intent or to develop a plan to combat racism in Rensselaer County.
Wenote some of Congressman Lewis’ thoughts about recent social justice activists, written shortly before his death on July 17, 2020, and published on July 30, 2020, the day of his funeral (New York Times, Opinion Piece, July 30, 2020):
“While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division. Around the country and the world you set aside race, class, age, language and nationality to demand respect for human dignity.
“That is why I had to visit Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, though I was admitted to the hospital the following day. I just had to see and feel it for myself that, after many years of silent witness, the truth is still marching on.”
Black Lives Matter (BLM) is an organization not unlike those Civil Rights organizations that the Legislature approvingly associated with Congressman Lewis. BLM focuses the nation’s – indeed the world’s – attention on structural racism and especially the violence that Black people are subject to:
“We live in fear. Fear of walking outside. Wearing a hoodie.
Going for a jog. Sleeping in our own home. Existing.” https://blacklivesmatter.com/rest-in-power-beautiful/
BLM fights for justice, equality and freedom, just as did those individuals, like Congressman Lewis, who were involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, sit-ins to desegregate lunch counters, the Freedom Rides, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the Selma to Montgomery marches and the March on Washington.
“Until black people are free, no one is fully free. Because
the issues that affect black people the most, affect everyone.
Everyone.”
https://blacklivesmatter.com/whatmatters2020-its-on-us-join-the- movement-blacklivesmatter
So in conclusion, we want to know which it is: does the Legislature actually subscribe to the assertions passed unanimously in P/35, or does it deny that Black and other people of Color matter, that racism is alive and well, and that we ALL need to do something. And while we are asking the Legislature about its position, we would also like to hear from you Mr. McLaughlin, our County Executive. Do you acknowledge that there is structural racism in our Country and that Rensselaer County has a duty to combat it? And what is your plan of action?
Congressman Lewis said it best: “Together, you can redeem the soul of our nation.”(NY Times,above.)We fervently hope that the Rensselaer County Legislature and our County Executive recognize their duty to fight structural racism and thereby help to redeem the soul of our nation. We await your replies.
Very truly yours,
Sandra M. Nathan John Serio
Natalie Amiama Robin Catalano
Marilyn Lenkowsky Catharine Hough
Jack Spillman, Shelley Geller
Pam Kueppers Jennifer Anikst
Erin Duffey Matt Wycoff
P.S. Please send all replies and inquiries to:
Sandra M. Nathan
290 Newton Road Stephentown, New York 12169
(518) 733-0095
cc: U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand Congressmen Paul Tonko and Antonio Delgado
NYS Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
NYS Senators Neil Breslin (breslin@nysenate.gov)and
Daphne Jordan (jordan@nysenate.gov
NYS Assembly Members John McDonald, McDonaldJ@nyassembly.gov
and Jacob Ashby, ashbyj@nyassembly.gov
The Advertiser https://advertisercrw.com/articles-submission/
Eastwick Press news@eastwickpress.com
Albany Times Union tucitydesk@timesunion.com, rsmith@timesunion.com
Troy Record newsroom@troyrecord.com
New York Times tips@nytimes.com