To: Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Gov. Rick Snyder: Fire Michigan State Police director
Michigan State Police director Kriste Kibbey Etue abused her power when she called Black NFL players "degenerates" on Facebook. Her entire leadership is rooted in racism.
Why is this important?
The State Police Director in Michigan, Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, should be fired. Early this week, she posted an image on Facebook calling athletes who kneeled in protest of police brutality "anti-American degenerates." We are in the midst of a historic moment where NFL players, celebrities, and decisionmakers with the platform powerful enough to shift the entire country are all speaking out against police brutality. And she's absolutely on the wrong side of history. As soon as news broke about the post, people started calling for Etue's resignation. She immediately apologized and said posting the comment was a "mistake."
But her apology means absolutely nothing. She already revealed the truth about where she stands--and we need to believe her.
Michigan State police director Etue's words are not just a meme on Facebook. They incite hate, violence, and are a representation of her practices. She represents the type of leadership that we cannot let continue to exist in this country. She's failed to hold police who kill Black people accountable--and she even awarded the officer who killed 15-yr old Damon Grimes a "Lifesaving Award." On top of that, her department is severely suffering from a lack diversity. The people of Michigan need leaders who will champion a change in the status quo, not those who spout Trump's white supremacist talking points. Gov. Rick Snyder has said that her apology was enough--but it's clearly not. We need him to do the right thing and fire Etue. And we need a lot more people to stand up in order to push him to make the right choice. Sign the petition?
But her apology means absolutely nothing. She already revealed the truth about where she stands--and we need to believe her.
Michigan State police director Etue's words are not just a meme on Facebook. They incite hate, violence, and are a representation of her practices. She represents the type of leadership that we cannot let continue to exist in this country. She's failed to hold police who kill Black people accountable--and she even awarded the officer who killed 15-yr old Damon Grimes a "Lifesaving Award." On top of that, her department is severely suffering from a lack diversity. The people of Michigan need leaders who will champion a change in the status quo, not those who spout Trump's white supremacist talking points. Gov. Rick Snyder has said that her apology was enough--but it's clearly not. We need him to do the right thing and fire Etue. And we need a lot more people to stand up in order to push him to make the right choice. Sign the petition?