ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today addressed The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. In his remarks, the governor addressed the roles that politicians, media, and the public play in responding to violence and promoting public safety in our communities.
Excerpts from Governor Moore’s speech as delivered:“As chief executive of Maryland – as a combat veteran – as a father – and as a citizen, there is nothing more important to me than the safety of our neighborhoods. And I believe we can’t truly address the reality of violence unless we simultaneously deal with the false narratives of violence.”
“Nobody wants to address violent crime more than the people that actually live in communities suffering from violence. Yet we've politicized this issue to a point where we believe it's us against them. Let’s come together on this and focus on the realities of violence instead of emphasizing the deficiencies of certain communities.”
“Elected officials can underinvest in housing and pull the plug on mass transit projects – but because they enhance sentencing, they’re called champions for public safety in the news. Don’t allow yourselves to get spun. Networks that sensationalize violence miss the full story. You won’t hear them talk about bad policies that limit opportunity and increase violence in our neighborhoods. You won’t hear them talk about pipelines from poverty to prison. You won’t hear them talk about the breakage in the system that allows so many of our young people to fall through the cracks.”
“One of the most powerful public safety tools we have is fighting poverty. One of the most powerful public safety tools we have is creating pathways to employment and foundations for hope. But that story isn’t always getting told. You see, the false narrative of the media isn’t just sensational, it’s selective. And that’s the danger.”
“A numbness to violence has gripped our nation – in many places and for many reasons. But the result is the same: We’ve lost our will to do something about it. [...] And when the pain is no longer piercing and it becomes chronic, our apathy in dealing with violence turns us into accessories. Reducing violence is about more than failing to come up with a real plan and falling back on partisan talking points that degrade our cities and the people that live there. While other states pass the blame, Maryland is ready to set the example.”
“Pushing back on violence is about accountability and action, yes – but it’s also about prevention, coordination, and strategy. In Maryland, we’ve taken an all-of-the-above approach to public safety, to support state and local law enforcement, build stronger communities, and coordinate across all parts of government and all parts of society.”
“Now is the time for us to renew our faith in progress and refuse to give up. Let’s shake ourselves out of the numbness we feel. Let’s end the myths we’ve been told to believe. And let’s reclaim our power to make a change.”
The National Press Club is the leading professional organization for journalists and is a vigorous advocate of freedom of the press the world over. Since 1908, it has served its members to meet the changing needs of communications and to build a vital media community, both in Washington and across the globe.