MNA Nurses Statement on the Death of Daunte Wright

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

 

April 13, 2021 (St. Paul) –

“On April 11, 2021, while running an errand, 20-year old Daunte Wright was killed by an officer of the Brooklyn Center Police Department. The Twin Cities have lost another young Black man, a two-year-old son has lost his father, and a mother and her family are grieving the loss of another innocent life. MNA joins the world in mourning and grieving another life lost to police brutality, and we extend our condolences to the family of Daunte Wright.

As nurses, we know Daunte Wright should be alive today. His life and all Black lives matter. This the basic tenet of nursing practice and health care, and it has again been violated. Our communities, already reeling from the trial of Derek Chauvin, continue to be pummeled by systemic racism that has shown no mercy or remorse. We recognize that the harm suffered by Black, Brown and Indigenous communities of color at the hands of racist police is emboldened by a broader culture of white supremacy. This culture plagues not only our police force, but all areas of our society, from our educational and healthcare institutions, to wealth disparities and governmental institutions. This is a public health crisis as much as it is a crisis of policing in our country.

The government’s decision to respond to protests of this latest police killing with militarized force will only exacerbate the trauma we are seeing in our patients, students, and loved ones. We cannot wait for policies that emphasize reform at the expense of another life lost. The public health crisis of racism requires a holistic response that attends to the needs and demands of society’s systematically oppressed.

As a labor union, we believe in the fundamental right of all people to live a life of dignity, respect, and justice. That is the world we must win, and to do so requires that we confront racism head-on, in our workplaces, in the justice system, and on the streets. It deserves the same amount of care and attention we would devote to any other public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the past few years, we’ve seen the tragic killings of Philando Castile, Justine Diamond, Jamar Clark, George Floyd, and now Daunte Wright. All could have been avoided.

As Registered Nurses, we recognize that a society where Black and Brown lives are not valued erodes the collective well-being of our communities. As we have seen with systemic racist policies causing the loss of lives of people of color during the COVID-19 pandemic, we see systemic racism again surfacing with the loss of Black lives in policing. We have a responsibility in improving the general welfare of our communities and we must advocate and support when injustice takes place and stand in solidarity with other workers fighting for justice.

We call upon our members, labor allies, and community partners to stand together and demand justice and support the community in their grieving as they process the loss of Daunte Wright.

MNA encourages and urges all members to respect the privacy and wishes of the family.”

8 Comments

  1. I read your post and saw mna nurses on wcco..your gaslighting and spreading false information in our community saying Wright killing was about racism . It was an accident, an human error. Instead of having mercy and compassion for the police officer ..you call it murder and racism gaslighting the situation adding more fuel to the fire..
    As a healthcare professional, I know nurses has caused death to patients through out the hospital…some nurses were not reprimanded and hospitals covered it up….
    Police officers lives are on the line every day… they are subject to being
    charged with murder or 2nd degree manslaughter for their accidents…nurses are not..
    Mna nurses are not in the same category as police officers by far..how dare you
    judge them
    WHAT HYPOCRISY MNA IS, WITH YOUR SELF RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS.. YOU ARE GASLIGHTING AND CAUSING MORE DIVISION MORE RIOTS IN THE COMMUNITIES …
    HOPE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOWED
    SO DISGUSTING…SHAME ON YOU

  2. This is a vile, disgusting post that MNA should have kept to themselves.

  3. Your statement is disgusting. You are twisting facts to support your “cause” and it is despicable. Shame on you. You are part of the reason why our country is so divided and in so much turmoil. Think about your actions and how you’re causing more harm than good when releasing statements with which you have no knowledge or actual facts to share. Very disappointed and disgusted.

  4. You have no right to speak for every member of the union on controversial topics.

  5. Wow, since when was MNA judge and jury? I am shocked that you would make a statement like this when I know for a fact that not all nurses feel like that. What about your nurses that are married to a law enforcement officer? How many times do LEO’s respond to help in the ER?
    Most of all, let me ask you this question….if a white nurse, made a critical mistake while treating a black person and that mistake cost them their life… (& you KNOW it happens). Does that make the nurse racist? Should protesters label all nurses racist? Should they threaten to destroy the hospital? Should the nurse’s name, picture and address be published on TV and her family and the families of other nurses be threatened?
    How is that any different?

  6. The militarized force is present to avoid massive destruction of property and violence in our community which clearly occurs. It is sad that militarized force is necessary to protect businesses and our community at large, however that is the fact.
    I am very disappointed that members of the MNA board ran off our National Guard from using the St. Paul Labor Center parking lot as a planning point for their services. I am embarrassed by this lack of support and appreciation for our National Guard and the tremendous work they have done for us this past year.

  7. While I agree it is tragic when a life is lost, turning against others isn’t the way to handle it. Your statement turns racism into another form of prejudice (against police). These cases that you mentioned are not “innocent” lives lost, however they are lives that shouldn’t have been lost. But there are also lives of police officers that should not have been lost either. Instead of placing the blame game anytime something goes horribly wrong, we need to take that as an opportunity to problem solve. I am ashamed to see the bias that has been written by a professional organization.

  8. Very disgusting and racist post. As nurses we do not see skin color when caring for patient and I do not understand how you get off making that statement.

    Thank God I have not paid a dime to this worthless union in over 3 years. Did not help me in my union job and you are showing me by these bs posts you do not plan on helping the nurses that are paying your salaries.

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