June 2, 2020
The New Jersey Doctor-Patient Alliance strongly condemns the reprehensible killing of George Floyd last week. We, like many of you, have felt deep outrage and sorrow over the death of Mr. Floyd, while unarmed and restrained in police custody. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, as well as to the families of countless other victims of racially motivated violence.
As an organization whose mission it is to advocate for patients and doctors in New Jersey, the NJDPA recognizes the moral imperative of standing with the black community and other minorities in our fight against systemic racism. We also recognize the responsibility each of us has to eliminate our own implicit biases both in our personal and professional lives.
While we wholeheartedly support ongoing peaceful demonstrations, we also want to urge an end to the violence that has besieged so many of our cities and has clouded the message of change. These destructive acts have put the health and safety of innocent people at risk and has severely hurt vital locally-owned businesses, particularly ones that are already struggling from the economic turmoil of COVID-19.
In the coming weeks and months, we plan to work with our leaders in state and local government and within underserved communities across NJ to uproot the causes of injustice and help build a healthier society. To that end, our organization will be actively promoting legislation aimed at improving access to healthcare in underserved communities and initiating mentorship programs for young students from these communities.
As physicians, we understand that racism is a public health crisis and that only through meaningful and sustained efforts will our society achieve real change.
Sincerely,
Peter DeNoble, MD, FAAOS
President, NJDPA