It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter to you, primarily because it is about an issue that has torn at the fabric of American Society. It is as you imagine, about the death of a fellow American, George Floyd. The events that led up to his detainment are murky at best, but in any case, all Americans are afforded safety while they await Due Process of the Law, whether or not they have committed a crime. These rights are enshrined in the American Constitution that protects every one of us no matter the gender, color, race, creed, or religion. These rights are the core of all Human Rights afforded every Human Being on the face of the Planet. My heart aches for Mr. Floyd’s untimely and unjustified death and the stealing of his right to that same Due Process. I am confident that justice will be done and will be served, but Due Process takes time.  

Meanwhile, protestors are understandably frustrated and angry as they now await the Due Process of Mr. Floyd’s assailant. Peaceful protestors exercise their Constitutional Right of Freedom of Speech. However, rioters, vandals and looters don’t have an excuse to take away the rights of others out of retribution. The rights to a small business, the rights to live and work without fear, the rights of citizens’ own freedoms and the rights to Due Process themselves. Rioters, vandals and looters miss the fact that they themselves have decided to take away the Due Process of the Law from people they have never met to show their anger.  

We are living in confusing and stressful times. Where we are asked to think of our civic duty and the responsibility we owe our communities to keep each other safe and healthy. We are asked to forgo what we want, in order to give to the community what it needs: a safe environment from which we emerge from COVID-19. The task is daunting, made even more daunting when basic Constitutional and Human Rights are taken away from a fellow American.  

As we navigate through this stressful time, let’s remember the civic duty we owe to each other. Thomas Jefferson said it best, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men (and women) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is the World for which so many fought so bravely. The World they died for, so future generations could live in it. It is the World that I wish my children to inherit. Will you uphold those rights for your community? I sincerely pray that all of us do. 

Sincerely, 

Mark H. Kajita, CPA

President & CEO 

Baker Boyer