Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
Gavin Newsom first became governor of California in 2019. Over the past four years, members of the public have accused him of running the state into the ground. In contrast, others welcome his no-nonsense attitude, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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However, recently, the governor has come under fire again for a law passed this year, which many citizens have deemed racist.
The Ebony Alert Law
This past October, Gavin Newsom introduced the brand new Ebony Alert law to the state of California.
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According to the lawmakers, it aims to bridge the gap regarding missing people in the state, especially when people of color are concerned.
The First of its Kind
Senator Steven Bradford played a significant role in the bill’s passing and dubbed it the Ebony Law, the first of its kind in the United States.
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The Amber Alert Law inspired the bill, which helps track missing children aged 17 or below. It works by activating electronic highway signs alerting the public when a child goes missing.
Understanding the Ebony Alert Law
According to those involved with the introduction of the Ebony Alert Law, it will work to trace missing Black children and women aged between 12 and 25 years old.
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The law should come into effect at the beginning of the new year. However, news of the Ebony Alert began stirring up a fair deal of controversy on social media.
The Immediate Controversy of the Law
Citizens of the state of California and beyond have taken to social media to voice their concerns over the new law, describing it as racist due to its one-sided nature.
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One online comment claims, “This new alert system will prioritize black and brown children and can’t be used to help find missing white children.”
The Governor Makes a Bold Claim
In relation to the various online comments, Gavin Newsom hit back with his own opinion on why the Ebony Alert Law makes sense.
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Newsom and his team claim that white children who go missing get better media coverage; thus, Amber Alert benefits white kids more. So, the Ebony Law will help even the playing field when it comes to missing children of color.
How Will it Really Work?
The law set to be implemented at the start of next year enables Highway Patrol officers in California to activate when local law enforcement notifies them that a Black person or child is missing.
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The law will also try to gain as much help from the public as possible via TV, social media, and the radio. The aim is to spread the word as quickly as possible, with hopes that state-wide cooperation will help find the missing person.
Citizens Voice Their Concerns
As the new law caters to a specific group of Black people aged between 12 and 25, it remains highly controversial, with many citizens of California labeling it blatant racism.
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Citizens of the state have shared their thoughts on social media. User @Denisko1 said, “A missing child is a missing child. I never heard an amber alert and thought to disregard it based on that child’s race. When will these radicals realize fighting racism with racism is not the answer?
Not Everyone Agrees With Newsom
A constant flow of comments flooded social media sites in the wake of Newsom’s comments regarding the Ebony Alert. One user, @PennyFarring14 said, “Pure racism and totally insane.”
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Another user, @Sheydayi_p said, “So they seriously believe the Amber Alert system discriminated against children of color? I find it interesting how the fight against segregation was so important to MLK, yet these liberals have convinced this community that segregation is the way now.”
Senator Bradford Gives a Statement
Senator Bradford, the co-sponsor of the controversial Ebony Alert, tried to justify the reasoning behind the law by claiming that the Amber Alert neglects Black youth.
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He said, “Today, California is taking bold and needed action to locate missing Black children and Black women in California. They are disproportionately represented on the lists of missing persons.”
A Real Problem
As it stands, there is still a lot of controversy surrounding Ebony Alert. Some citizens of the state believe it is necessary due to the high number of missing Black people, while others suggest it is racist and promotes segregation.
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Yet, what we cannot deny is that something needs to be done regarding the thousands of missing children and women. In 2022, 141,000 Black children and over 17,000 Black women went missing. To this day, 30,000 remain unaccounted for.