Statement from Mayor Jud Ashman on Behalf of the City Council Regarding Community Solidarity
Statement from Mayor Jud Ashman on Behalf of the City Council Regarding Community Solidarity
Gaithersburg, Md. (June 1, 2020) I think it’s fitting to use tonight’s Reflection to make a few statements about the world around us. To say that this is a very difficult time is a giant understatement. Close to a quarter of the nation’s workforce is currently unemployed. Most of the country has been under some level of quarantine restriction for two and a half months, which has upended everyone’s daily routines and added immeasurable stress and anxiety to people’s lives. This past week, we passed a horrific milestone; COVID-19 has taken more than 100,000 American lives. It’s almost an unimaginable number. It’s more than the entire population of our City. Our sincere and most heartfelt wishes go out to all, near and far, who continue to be impacted by this pandemic.
Then last week, the world saw the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. George Floyd was 46 years old. He was the father of two daughters. He’s remembered by those who knew him as a good friend and co-worker. He was unarmed. Police supposedly wanted to question him about or arrest him for a non-violent transgression. The fact that these circumstances led to his death is both tragic and utterly unacceptable. On behalf of the City of Gaithersburg, I offer our condolences to his family and all whose lives he’s touched.
In the wake of his death and the ensuing unrest across America and beyond, the members of the City Council and I stand in solidarity with those who are, in a peaceful and civil manner, calling for justice for George Floyd, his family, and victims of injustice everywhere. We reject calls for violence as injustice does not solve injustice – it creates more victims. We must make the world a better place by lifting each other up, not tearing each other down. It is all of our civic duty to try to bring about change where it’s not only needed but long overdue, and we salute all who are working toward that end.
In Gaithersburg, we stand as committed as ever to the principles of inclusiveness, fairness, respect, and professional service, not only in our police department, but in all of our departments. We wake up every day hoping to make you proud of your City and the manner in which we provide services. You deserve our best.
