Statement on Police Violence and Black Lives Matter

Originally drafted June 2020; updated and approved April 2021

The Illinois Single-Payer Coalition recognizes racism and police violence as a public health crisis. Police violence is a leading cause of death for young men of color. Black men in particular are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white men. We were appalled, dismayed, and angered by the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd last year. In Illinois, police officers killed 19-year-old Marcellis Stinnette of Waukegan and 13-year-old Adam Toledo of Little Village.

We are an organization which supports Medicare for all regardless of race or economic background. We recognize and condemn not only the racism inherent in our policing system but also in our healthcare system.

Medical apartheid, as coined by Harriet Washington, has existed in this country since white settlement. During slavery, medical care was provided infrequently and only at the inclination of the slaveowner. Black people were used for medical research and experimentation through the late 20th century. Today, medical apartheid continues with our employer and profit-based insurance system. Until Medicare eligibility age is reached at 65, Black people are more likely to not have insurance than their white counterparts. Because of this, Black people are more likely to suffer and die from preventable health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This inequity has worsened with the COVID crisis.

We fight and advocate for a universal single-payer system where all residents are guaranteed to have health insurance coverage from birth until death. We believe this is the first step in establishing a fair and just health system. It will eliminate the colossal barrier of cost to accessing care.

As we fight for single payer, we support those who are fighting for racial justice outside the health system. We support the restructuring of the police forces in our nation to hold police officers accountable when laws are broken and any other instances of police misconduct just as any other citizens are held accountable. Some of the funding that is used for policing communities of color can easily be diverted towards healthcare and other social services. We believe Black Lives Matter and we believe that public funds should prioritize the care – not policing – of its people.