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Mount Pleasant to consider declaring racism a public health threat

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By Danielle Seat | August 5, 2020 at 6:08 AM EDT - Updated August 5 at 12:29 PM

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - A Mount Pleasant committee will vote Wednesday on a resolution that would name racism as a threat to public health, which its authors hope would help in the fight to end systemic racism.

The Mount Pleasant Police, Judicial and Legal Committee will review the resolution at a 9:45 a.m. meeting.

The resolution was written by the African American Historic Settlement Commission, a local nonprofit organization looking to address issues within the African American community. AAHSC President John Wright says he first wrote the resolution a few months ago at the height of demonstrations protesting the death of George Floyd. Floyd died while in Minneapolis Police custody in May.

“The whole goal and the premise was that the resolution would come from the people for the people,” Wright says. “And we would then steer the dialog as to what happens after that and how do we have these meaningful conversations.”

Other towns, including Denver, Minneapolis and Charlotte, adopted similar resolutions and Wright says it is time to do the same thing in the Tri-County area.

“I’m proud to call Mount Pleasant home,” Wright says. “And I think we can be that shining example for the rest of the municipalities, as well as the state.”

The resolution, he says, would set the tone for engagement and dialog about racial disparities and social injustices.

“Our community needs to know we are fighting for it to be more just, fair, and safe for everyone,” a letter to the committee states. “There is work to be done and in our own leadership we have to be committed to providing basic human rights protection, creating a level playing field, and easier paths to the American dream.”

Wright says he would first put together a committee, and launch a plan to work with the town and start creating policies.

If the committee approves the resolution, it would then go to Mount Pleasant Town Council for a full vote.

Copyright 2020 WCSC. All rights reserved.


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