Gov. Newsom On George Floyd Death: 'We've Got To Fundamentally Change Who We Are'
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom took the first part of his address on Friday to talk about death of George Floyd.
The governor talked about how his young children have been digesting the news of the Minnesota's man's death. He noted how his whole family has gotten emotional over the situation.
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"There's deep anger, there's deep frustration, there's deep fear," Newsom said.
He also related how his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, has been a champion of equality since her days as a filmmaker.
Newsom, reflecting on his wife's work, said the country's values need to evolve.
"We've got to fundamentally change who we are, and recognize what we're capable of being," Newsom said.
"We have a country that predominantly values power, dominance and aggression over care, empathy and collaboration," Newsom added later. "The predominant values that we seem to be attracted to as a nation, they're not serving us anymore."
Floyd's death has sparked an outcry nationwide, with civil rights advocates decrying the apparent racism of the situation.
Newsom also connected racism to challenges public health has faced amid the coronavirus pandemic. He noted the disparities that existed coming into the crisis have continued to persist through the pandemic.
The governor, while being cautious about California reopening amid the pandemic, was optimistic about the state's push to train thousands of more coronavirus tracers this summer.
