Congressional Staffers Plan Walkout in Support of Garner and Ferguson
Congressional staffers are planning a walkout today in support of people protesting the deaths ofMichael Brown and Eric Garner, with the members of the minority staff associations slated to attend.
“We’re not trying to cause any type of controversy,” one staffer said to CNN. “We’re just trying to highlight this issue, to show solidarity with people who have been affected.”
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association will join black staffers and the Congressional Black Associates today at 3:30, where they will join U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black in prayer. In the days following the non-indictment of a Staten Island police officer who was blamed for Garner’s death, marching protestors have successfully shut down highways in Washington D.C.
“We’re proud to have this moment of solidarity with the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the thousands of peaceful protesters around the country who are telling this country that black lives matter,” another staffer told CNN.
In sum, at least 50 people are slated to attend the walkout, which may seem like a paltry number of people, but consider this: if the majority of the Asian, Latino, and African-American congressional staff associations are planning to attend, and if 50-ish people make up the majority of these staff associations, that’s a sad indictment of the lack of diversity in Congress.
UPDATE (3:48 PM EST): Here’s video of the walkout, courtesy of CNN:
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Congressional staffers are planning a walkout today in support of people protesting the deaths ofMichael Brown and Eric Garner, with the members of the minority staff associations slated to attend.
“We’re not trying to cause any type of controversy,” one staffer said to CNN. “We’re just trying to highlight this issue, to show solidarity with people who have been affected.”
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association will join black staffers and the Congressional Black Associates today at 3:30, where they will join U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black in prayer. In the days following the non-indictment of a Staten Island police officer who was blamed for Garner’s death, marching protestors have successfully shut down highways in Washington D.C.
“We’re proud to have this moment of solidarity with the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the thousands of peaceful protesters around the country who are telling this country that black lives matter,” another staffer told CNN.
In sum, at least 50 people are slated to attend the walkout, which may seem like a paltry number of people, but consider this: if the majority of the Asian, Latino, and African-American congressional staff associations are planning to attend, and if 50-ish people make up the majority of these staff associations, that’s a sad indictment of the lack of diversity in Congress.
UPDATE (3:48 PM EST): Here’s video of the walkout, courtesy of CNN:
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
updated 10:57 AM EST, Thu December 11, 2014 http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/11/politics/walkout-planned-for-congress/index.html
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Congressional staffers are planning to walk off their jobs Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
- Staffers said they are showing solidarity to communities affected by a decisions not to indict officers in killing unarmed black men
Washington (CNN) -- Congressional staffers plan to walk off their jobs Thursday afternoon to show their support for the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner in the wake of the decision by two grand juries not to indict the police officers responsible for their deaths, according to three staffers who plan to participate in the event.
The planned walkout comes after days of protests across the country, including in Washington, D.C., where demonstrators have marched through downtown, blocking roads and bridges on an almost nightly basis since last Wednesday's decision by a grand jury in Staten Island not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the chokehold death of Garner.
"We're proud to have this moment of solidarity with the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the thousands of peaceful protesters around the country who are telling this country that black lives matter," said one staffer who was helping to plan the event.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association joined black staffers and the Congressional Black Associates in planning the event, which is set to take place at 3:30 p.m., and is expected to draw at least 50 people. A staffer who planned to attend the protest said it was important to show support across racial lines.
"I believe it's important, because what affects one community really affects the entire country," the staffer told CNN. "It's not just one group of minorities that's affected. How one group is treated affects Asians, Hispanics, women. It's important that we show our solidarity and come together and really speak out about the injustices that are being done."
The group will gather in front of the Capitol and plan to take a photo at 345 p.m. U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black is expected to pray for the grieving families and to pray for peace.
"We're not trying to cause any type of controversy," one staffer told CNN. "We're just trying to highlight this issue, to show solidarity with people who have been affected."
Chaplain Black has drawn attention before for his topical prayers. Last year during the budget battle that shut down the government for 16 days, he opened each session with a prayer appealing the lawmakers to end the impasse.
"Obviously, there are probably some people who feel that my prayers should not have been as pointed as they were," Black told CNN's Anderson Cooper after the shutdown had ended. "My prayers simply reflect the reality of the environment that I am in."
Black could not be reached immediately reached for comment ahead of the event.
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