This petition aims to help pass a bill that would create a public registry for people who have been found guilty of committing a felony racial hate crime, similar to what already exists for those convicted of sex crimes.

First and foremost, we would like to convey our deepest condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives due to the unjust, systematically biased America in which we find ourselves; in which we have always found ourselves. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Laquan McDonald, Tamir Rice, Alton Sterling, Freddie Gray, Rekia Boyd, Walter Scott and so many others. As we have witnessed the irreparable harm that has already been done, we continue to see African Americans subjected to these injustices daily. And we continue to see the perpetrators of these injustices not be held accountable. This must change.

Recently, there has been a plethora of videos to surface that shows racist people flaunting, abusing and misusing 911 as their own personal tool to fulfill their racist intentions. This crime is not only racist, it is reckless, abhorrent and could lead to death. Since the murder of Emmett Till, it has been a constant plague in our society.

Lawmakers in the city of New York have recently passed legislation that will make false race-based 911 reports a hate crime, according to Andrew Cuomo’s “Say Their Name” Reform Agenda. We vehemently support this bill, but want to push it further. We demand that those convicted be entered into a public database as Racial Predators. Eventually we hope to include all hate crimes (including, but not limited to, hate crimes based on sexual orientation/identification, creed or sex.) There is no legal accountability that is sufficient enough for the magnitude of this crime; nothing that would deter the misuse of our justice system or the continuation of these false accusations.

This petition calls to not only hold civilians accountable for race-based actions, but also for the accountability of Law Enforcement. In a Guardian article, Paul Butler states: “Cops routinely hurt and humiliate black people because that is what they are paid to do. Virtually every objective investigation of a US law enforcement agency finds that the police, as policy, treat African Americans with contempt.” These officers will search for every reason that might lead to an arrest and abusers have used this to their advantage.

The transparency of police officer’s prior disciplinary records, as well as the elimination of “Qualified Immunity” are essential in this venture. Truly reforming our broken system requires getting to the foundation of how it works. A farmer knows that nothing will grow an overgrown field by merely sprinkling seeds on top of the weeds. They need to clear the field and till the soil in order for things to grow. Let’s do what we need to do to plant the seeds that will feed and sustain our society.

We are demanding through this petition that anyone, including police officers who are convicted in this crime or any other racist hate crimes, MUST be registered as a racial predator in a public database so that we all know who they are.

Enough is enough.