The National Black Justice Coalition has released a statement yesterday via their website that they’ve joined forces with Black Leadership Forum, an alliance which includes members from NAACP and the Congressional Black Congress, to demand a full investigation into the murder of the Houston-native, Navy Seaman August Provost III.
We are deeply troubled by the continuing pattern of incidents across the country –hate crimes, police misconduct, and racial intimidation – that are all-too-often tolerated and ignored by law enforcement officials and courts. Moreover, despite significant progress in the treatment of LGBT people, the targeting of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals remain a persistent and widespread problem in the US.
When faced with the abuse of individual civil rights we look to our law enforcement departments not only to guarantee that those engaging in such actions are held accountable for their behavior, but to send a distinct message from the highest levels of government that such conduct has no place in our American society.
Swift and firm action will demonstrate that our hard-fought federal civil rights laws are not mere empty promises, but will be strictly enforced to guarantee all Americans the full and equal protection of our nation’s laws.
Houston’s CBS affiliate station, KHOU, reported Tuesday on its website that Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee planned to also demand inquiry into his death and that Provost’s family suspects because he was gay.
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