“George Floyd should be alive today. His life, like the lives of countless other Black people in America, was cut short by unforgivable violence. We grieve for George’s family, and we grieve for the city of Minneapolis and its people, who are reeling in this moment of undeniable pain for our country. 

“The first step toward justice is always accountability. Without holding people—all people—to account for their actions, justice cannot be done. And without accountability, we cannot begin to heal. Ensuring justice in this case is not only about George Floyd or his family; it is about justice for all. 

“Racism, racial violence, and police brutality are the shameful truth of the American experience. To confront these legacies, we must first acknowledge them honestly. As President Obama said, it is imperative for all of us to “work together to create a ‘new normal’ in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.””