DES MOINES – Progress Iowa releases the following statement from executive director Matt Sinovic:
“Progress Iowa joins with those around the country in mourning the many tragedies of this week, including the needless deaths of two black men in Minnesota and Louisiana and the horrific murder of five police officers in Dallas yesterday. For this violence to erupt so soon after the massacre in Orlando would be noteworthy if it wasn’t so routine.
We are also calling for action – not just words, thoughts and prayers (though those are appreciated). Our leaders must act now before the violence and chaos spreads to our state as well. For too long our elected officials have done too little after every new tragedy.
Many factors conspired to create these tragedies, and all of them should be confronted with real, meaningful action.
Some can be addressed by finally implementing good public policy, such as banning the sale of assault rifles, restricting gun sales to those with dangerous backgrounds, improving our mental health care system, providing better training for our police officers, and equipping those police with body cameras.
But some of it can’t be solved by legislation. The anxiety, fear, anger and hate that too often consume our communities and our country can’t be whisked away by the pen of a governor or president. That’s a mission we all have to work on – to better understand, respect and love one another. To not retreat into our own corners, but to engage with all members of our communities so we can move forward as one.
Something, however, must be done. If it’s not, these tragedies will continue and, sadly, get worse and worse. Today is a day for mourning and reflection, but it also must be a time for action.”
If you’re not a police officer you’re a “needless death” while a police officer killed is a “murder”. It’s this double standard that enrages so many people in this country now. Even given that, the taking of police lives at a peaceful protest is horrible. None of them had anything to do with the other killings this week.
Also none of these guns acted by themselves. Evil and careless humans were what killed other humans.
Needless deaths? Once again liberals are being judge and jury before the facts are in just to support their illegal gun agenda.
Needless death is when a law abiding citizen is gunned down in his own vehicle while trying to produce the paperwork he was asked for. Is that too complicated for you?
You are so typical of a liberal. You are trying to be judge and jury before all the facts are in.
That was one incident. The other was a card carrying felon who decided to fight the police. And, what do you call the cold blooded police killings?