Former Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Kumar Sangakkara says the choice of citizens’ guides the State’s attitude, actions, policy and legislation.
Sangakkara’s comments come in the wake of Sri Lankans in the US voicing their support for the widespread protests triggered across the country over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Floyd was killed after a white police officer continued to kneel on his neck even after he pleaded he could not breathe.
Full Statement made by Kumar Sangakkara
The activism in America against systemic racism and injustice is a powerful lesson to us all. Whichever country we live in, be it America, Sri Lanka or another, it is not the State that should determine our sensibilities and sensitivities. That’s your choice and mine.
The State should not determine our wisdom, compassion, empathy and understanding. It should not and cannot limit the openness of our hearts and minds to others nor our ability to embrace and value difference and differences.
We the people choose that ourselves. We also choose our representatives from among our own. We are responsible for the character traits they bring to government. We are responsible for the people they are or have become. Their nature has been set by our influence and nurture.
Our choices guide the State’s attitudes, actions, policy and legislation. In order to establish the best government and the best most equitable governance we need to be better people.
Our strengths and our weaknesses are mirrored in each other’s conduct and in the conduct of our elected representatives.
We the people, the ordinary citizen, can together achieve extraordinary change for the better, to set in place a world culture of openness, respect and understanding. A world culture that has no place for ignorance and prejudice and where true freedom reigns.
We have to be courageous, keep the faith and actively participate in the journey.
It’s our choices today that will determine the culture our children inherit tomorrow.
If we want to be proud of our lives, to see our children proud to carry our legacy forward and onwards, then let’s be better. Let’s demand it of ourselves, for each other, for our children.
CHOOSE.