Voices Against QI

Who We Are:

AAQI is a growing group of Americans from all walks of life who understand that no one is above the law, including government officials, and agree that it is time to end qualified immunity once and for all. Here are just some of their voices, representing people from different professions, perspectives, and faiths. Ending qualified immunity should not be a partisan issue – it should be an American issue. Add your voice to the growing list by clicking here.

Kristin Soto, Service Advisor

Greensboro, NC

"[I am against QI because] I have watched so many instances where law enforcement didn't get in trouble for what they did, and if we did the same thing we would be arrested. I just think they are above the law, and in a lot of instances they are, especially when they do things that are against the law and they get away scott-free with a paid vacation."

Koessler Tolleson Knee, Artist

Missoula, MT

"I stand against qualified immunity because I believe [law enforcement] should be held to the same standard as citizens. Ignorance of the law is no excuse."

Carl Tennenbaum, Community Advocate

Sebastopol, CA

"I was a San Francisco police officer for 32 years. I witnessed a lot of good work being performed by good people. I also witnessed misconduct. Some of the misconduct was genuine mistakes, and same of it was done maliciously and willfully by not-so-good cops. I believe that law enforcement, and all government actors, have sufficient legal protections and don't need the unnecessary and misguided shield of qualified immunity. We should all be held accountable for our actions, especially those who are chosen to serve."

Patrick Murphy, IT Consultant

Pikesville, MD

"[I am against QI because] the authorities shouldn't be above the law they're supposed to be protecting. We're all supposed to be equal, and we should all have the ability to get justice."

Bill Obermeier, Financial Advisor/Life Insurance Agent

Evergreen Park, IL

"The fact that a public employee, without probable cause or articulable suspicion of a specific crime, can order me around is mindboggling. If qualified immunity remains, there is no incentive for those in authority to tread carefully."

Carl LeDonne, Truck Driver

McKeesport, PA

"I am agaist qualified immunity because no one should ever have immunity against prosecution, no matter what their job is. If you violate the law or the Constitutional rights of others, especially as someone who is supposed to protect the Constitution and know the laws, you should actually be held to a higher standard. No politician, no judge, no police officer, or law enforcement officer in any capacity should ever be given special privileges that the American citizens do not have themselves."

Marty Campbell, Factory Worker

Ada, OK

"[I am against QI because] it is my belief that everyone in public employ, from POTUS to the jail janitor, be held to the same standard or higher standards than any civil American would be."

Scott Hibbs, Self-Employed

Evansville, IN

"[I am against QI] because we are all equal. Anyone, regardless of position, should be held accountable; otherwise, we are unequal. Qualified immunity is tyranny, plain and simple."

Sharon Koehler, Cashier

Gainesville, TX

"[I am against QI because] nobody in America should have the ability to abuse another person without consequences. This should never have been put into law in the first place. The unjustified violence against Americans without prosecution needs to stop immediately!"

Brad Goodin, Director of Operations

Louisville, MS

"I am agaist qualified immunity because of the blatant abuse of it by bad characters. Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Michael Whitehead, Construction

Blackfoot, ID

"I am tired of government officals violating our rights as citizens. I understand that abolishing qualified immunity won't solve all the problems, but it's a huge step in the right direction. Government officials will definitely think twice about violating our rights when they know they can and will be held responsible for their actions. They have to be held accountable."

Jared Dewey, Paralegal

Ridgefield, WA

"[I am against QI] for James King! Our government should not be allowed to beat its citizens and have zero accountability."

Jon McFarlane, Organizer

Queens, NY

"Qualified Immunity is a virtually insurmountable bar to obtaining justice in a civil court, as well as seeing justice done in criminal court. We must work together to end qualified immunity for all agents acting under the color of the law."

Gary Wright, Clergy

East Moline, IL

"Qualified immunity allowed for the perpetuation of bad [law enforcing]. It further prevents victims from truly receiving justice. Constitutional rights are violated with no consequence."

Vyn Gordon, Insurance Agency Owner

Suwanee, GA

"[Qualified Immunity] takes away all the personal responsibility of officers to the public. There are no personal consequences, so they are incentivized to continue bad behavior."

G. Cosper, Retired

Minneapolis, MN

"Qualified Immunity is not a good thing. Everyone should be subject to consequences of their actions, be they in positions of authority of not."

Elisa Payne, Small Business Owner

Charleston, WV

"[I am against QI because] the government should not ever be afforded more protections than the people it governs."

Benjamin Kingsley, Software

Pleasant Grove, UT

"Our country was formed with the goal of making the government accountable to its citizens. So, let's do that."

Jed Libby, Retired

Kalispell, MT

"Qualified immunity was made up by the government so they would never be held accountable."

Ibnali Omar, Trucker

San Antonio, TX

"[I am against QI because] the men and women of law enforcement are citizens at work and should be held accountable if they break the law. No one should be above the law."

Chris Brown, Solutions Engineer

Austin, TX

"Those who enforce our laws should also have to abide by those same laws. Law enforcement agents are still citizens who need to be held accountable to the taxpayers they have sworn to protect."

Timothy Stevens, Legal Assistant

Riverside, CA

"There needs to be accountability for law enforcemet. Ending qualified immunity is crucial for this to happen."

Tim Barr, U.S. Army Veteran, Retired Long Haul Trucker, Active Honor Gaurd Member

Pigeon Forge, TN

"As a 13yr Veteran and active member of the Pigeon Forge Honor Gaurd, I serve my fellow citizens. I support and defend the Constitution of the United States. No one is above the law."

Matt Collins, Stay at Home

Barling, AR

"[I am against QI because] I have seen too many victims never get to see their attacker punished for the terrible crimes they committed."

Rusty White Jr., Ophthalmic Technician, Professional Fisherman, and Fishing Guide

Lancaster, SC

"The law should be equally applied to all; badges shouldn't grant special privileges."

Kyle Bragdon, Design Engineer Technician

Laurel, DE

"We shouldn't have to live in fear of public servants, and ending qualified immunity helps give the people the tools to hold those in positions of authority accountable for their actions. A free society cannot exist when one class of person is held above the law."

Ryan Kuvelas, Quantitative Finance

Colorado Springs, CO

"Qualified immunity creates a toxic relationship with citizens. Police are protected from the consequences of their actions."

Jerrad Christian, Software Engineer and Former Military

Galena, OH

"If we, as citizens, are to be held accountable for breaking any law - and ignorance of said law not be an excuse, what right should any have to take the freedom of another, due to supposed ignorance, without consequence?"

Terry Burton, Former Police Detective

Tulsa, OK

"As a former law enforcement officer, I have watched qualified immunity shield bad officers and bad decisions. Too many officers are allowed to act like savages and portray violence on American citizens and then claim they can't be sued because they were acting under the color of the law. Officers should be held accountable for their actions."

Taylor Schneider, National Account Manager and VP of Sales

Rogers, AR

"[I am against QI] so that those in positions of power actually fear infriging on others Constitutional rights."

Joe Buongiorne, Respiratory Therapist and Retired Marine Corp Veteran

Fort Walton Beach, FL

"Equal rights for all; special rights for no one."

Robert Carswell, Registered Nurse

Lexington, SC

"I have Constitutional and civil rights. No government official should have any immunity to abuse my rights. I should have the right to seek prosecution and damages in a lawsuit for any rights that are violated by government officials."

Katie Panzer, Employment Law Attorney

Salt Lake City, UT

"Qualified immunity puts government officials above the law; no one should be above the law."

Joshua Porter, Opera Singer and Music Teacher

Boulder Creek, CA

"Qualified immunity, just like civil forfeiture, enables and motivates corruption in our police forces across the United States. It is an unjust practice, and has protected civil rights and Constitution violators time and time again, and will continue to do so until abolished. I am against qualified immunity, and you should be too."

Scott Foster, Information Technology Specialist

Vero Beach, FL

"Qualified immunity undermines our most basic tenant that no one is above the law."

Gary Grose, Managing Consultant

Seabrook, TX

"I support good police and feel their contribution to our society is vital, however, the authority to cross a line the Constitution established for every citizen is weakened each time an authority figure tramples over that line and is not held responsible. Wearing that badge should be a privilege afforded only to those with the acumen to fully grasp the limits placed on them by the Constitution."

Stephen Grimes, Retired Professional Engineer

Camden, OH

"In order for people to willfully accept the legitimacy of a social contract with the government there must be recourse for those times when the government itself breaks the contract. Without such recourse the contract is meaningless."

William Fragoso, Computer Hardware Technician

Lawndale, CA

"Qualified immunity continues to give government officials the power to trample on citizens right's with impunity. Without proper accountability for their actions, government officials will continue, intentionally or not, to act in bad faith as long as they know that consequences for their actions will be paid out by the very citizens they abuse, or worse, not be paid out at all."

William Heath, Retired, Real Estate Agent

Mexico, MO

"Qualified immunity places government officials and employees above the law. I believe no one is above the law and the law is not above the Constitution. This is a government of the people, for the people, and by the people!"

Earl Lin, Law Student

Minneapolis, MN

"Because government officials, especially those allowed to wield violence on behalf of the state, should be held accountable when they abuse their authority."

Sgt Kyle Faraday, Retired Marine, Chauffeur

Neptune, NJ

"Instead of public officers being protected when they harm the innocent "for their job," they should be held to a higher standard of good conduct than everyone else."

Michael Robbins, Real Estate

Spokane Valley, WA

"Governments need to be held accountable for employees' actions. It sickens me to read the horror stories of citizens' lives being destroyed by actions of our own government."

Randy Thompson

Independence, MO

"Government officials have to be held accountable when they injure citizens for no reason. Just because they can put some one on the ground doesn't mean they can pick them up and slam them on the ground causing permanent injury. Then they don't lose their job or have to pay for the injury they caused. It's not fair to us citizens for government officials to get away with Constitutional abuse."

David Casteel, IT Manager

Salt Lake City, UT

"I'm tired of government officials not being held accountable for constantly violating the constitution. Qualified Immunity was created out of thin air by our courts and should have never been a thing to begin with. If you are going to work in public service it should be your job to learn the constitutional rights our citizens here have."

Megan Chastain, Real Estate

Loganville, GA

"No one should be immune from the law including law officers, judges, politicians, etc. It is wrong and I am ashamed that it is not a bigger issue that is being discussed."

Jason Morgan, IT Instructor

Guthrie, OK

"I worked as an educator in prisons and helped inmates find gainful employment upon release. I have seen the evil that can be perpetrated by civilians and police both, in their own way."

Victor Isham, Veteran

Comanche, TX

"As a veteran, I supported and defended the Constitution. I think that EVERYONE should be held to the same standards, no matter what."

Jack Brown, Legal Consultant

Delaware

"Qualified immunity allows abusive government officials to prey upon people with impunity and, to add insult to injury, is unsupported by the text of the United States Constitution."

Matthew Slayman, Student

Ladson, SC

"We, the people, are required and expected to obey our written laws. So to should an official, one of the people, be required to obey the edict of our constitution. Failing this, they are no longer representatives of the people, but instead ones of tyranny."

Dean Forrest, Veteran

Virginia

"I fought to protect the Constitution of The United States and when rogue government actors abuse their powers to do harm, they must answer for their unpatriotic actions."

Jenn Sanders, Working Mom

Chattanooga, TN

"We must be able to hold government officials accountable when they violate the rights of Americans protected in the Constitution."

Terrance McKinley, Reverend

Washington, D.C.

"Qualified immunity does away with the rights of victims. It is immoral, unjust and unethical and it needs to come to an end."

Yitz Greenberg, Rabbi

Brooklyn, NY

"I oppose qualified immunity which has lent itself to enable abusive police officers to escape accountability."

Jason Jones, Finance

Phoenix, AZ

"Qualified immunity, quite simply, allows police officers to live above the law."

Bryan Rose, Former Police Officer

Irving, Texas

"The individual police officer is almost never held personally liable. Instead, the department or local government pays the victims of proven police misconduct.”

James Hall, Collegiate Athletics

New Mexico

"Qualified immunity is a stick in the spokes of a country trying to grapple with racial reconciliation; ending it would be a great first step towards trust."

Dr. Nicole Foster, Reverend

Dallas, Texas

"In the Christian faith, we look to Jesus Christ as the perfect example of the command to love our neighbors as ourselves. This basic tenet of our faith applies to all of us, including the Creator of the universe and those put in power to govern and protect us."

Sarah Fawson, Marketing

Colorado

"A justice system without accountability is not just."

Dr. Renee Delgado-Riley, Higher Education

Eugene, Oregon

"Qualified immunity severely limits accountability for police officers and government officials."

Jacob Deaven, Attorney

Maryland

"When you and I act in bad faith, we’re held accountable for our actions. On the other hand, when law enforcement and government officials do, they can claim qualified immunity."

Rabbi David Polsky, Teacher

Detroit, MI

"No one should be allowed to murder others without cause and without justice."

Stephen Kent, Author

North Carolina

"Serving the public is an honorable act rooted in trust. That trust can only shrink when public servants such as police officers are not held to the same standards of conduct, decency, and accountability under the law as the people they serve."

Kimmy Lueders, Mother

Texas

"Ending qualified immunity is a common-sense, first step approach to begin repairing and reversing damage that power hungry entities have wreaked on some of the most vulnerable among us. This is why I’m proudly an American and a Texan against qualified immunity."

William Jones, Business Development Manager

California

"Serving in the U.S. military has shown me the importance of protecting the public from all threats, foreign and domestic. Sometimes those threats come from those sworn to protect us, and when that sacred oath is broken, we can't continue to shield those who choose to abuse their powers from the responsibility of their actions."

Justin Nail, Engineer

Arizona

"We must do more to support law enforcement--the first step should be ending qualified immunity so that good officers can do their jobs and those who abuse their power can be held responsible."

Andrew Clark, Education

Texas

“We ask so much of our law enforcement—letting the bad actors in their ranks off the hook when they break the law only places further burdens on the backs of the best in the force. End qualified immunity and let the good cops continue to do their job with pride.”

Burly Cain, Americans for Prosperity

Albuquerque, NM

"Qualified Immunity allowed judges to fabricate a system where government entities and actors exist above the rule of law. Removing qualified immunity restores the rule of law for all."

Josh Cohen, Professor

Georgia

"Government officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution, but qualified immunity often shields them from responsibility when they violate that oath. This is especially harmful when police officers face no consequences for unlawful actions. Those with special authority should be more accountable to the law, not less."

Carlos Alfaro, Small Business Owner

Arizona

"The rights guaranteed by our Constitution depend on the government being accountable to the people that they serve. Just like all of us, the people who work in law enforcement must be accountable for their actions."

Dr. Alana Suskin, Rabbi

Washington, D.C.

"...As Americans, as humans, it is the right thing to do!"

Frank Leto, Publisher

Pennsylvania

“The American experiment is built on a core principle that no one is above the law; this applies not only to those who make the laws but also those who enforce the laws. When we fail to hold law enforcement accountable after they cause harm, the trust between the people and our government is destroyed.”

Ana Cetverikova, Personal Trainer

Washington, D.C.

"Law enforcement must have a healthy relationship with the community they protect, and every relationship is built on trust. That trust is broken when bad actors in law enforcement are not held responsible for the harm they cause. We need to end qualified immunity to bring together law enforcement with the communities they serve."

Nora Hurab, Education

Oakland, CA

"Ending qualified immunity is the first step in holding officers accountable to unjust policing. We must demand an end to this harmful policy."

Angel Merlos, Organizer

Colorado

"At a difficult time of civil unrest in our nation, America's law enforcement needs our support to hold those among them who abuse their power accountable."

Melissa Nail, Mother

Arizona

"Removing qualified immunity will not only give power back to the people, it will also motivate mayors, police chiefs, and individual actors to do better."

Alli Beard, Communications

Ohio

"Qualified immunity creates a legal loophole that gives law enforcement too much power over the communities they're supposed to protect. If we want to create a just American society and stop police brutality, we must end qualified immunity."

Dr. Christa Slaton, Education

New Mexico

"In preparing young minds for the future, we hold students accountable for their actions and their outcomes; in the same way, we must be able to hold law enforcement to account when they do wrong."

Juan Lozano, Attorney

San Diego

"Qualified immunity allows a public official to operate with the belief that for the most part, they are permitted to function knowing that the legal system views them as close to infallible and won’t hold them accountable for bad acts."

Louis Finkelman, Rabbi

Michigan

"When the law protects a government official from accountability, it sets the stage for abuse of power. Officers of the law should expect the law to demand their personal responsibility for their deeds and misdeeds."

Korbin Kiblinger, Digital Marketing

Virginia

“Made to protect good cops from the consequences of split-second life-or-death decisions, police unions now weaponize QI to protect the worst of the force in the courtroom.”

Cameron Gonzales, Student

Washington, D.C.

"I believe that we are a nation that strives to uphold liberty and justice for all. For that reason, I oppose qualified immunity."

Rob Barnett, Tax Attorney

New Mexico

"Qualified immunity allows those in government to live above the law they swore to uphold."

Rick Shaibani, Film

Virginia

"Cops are not above the law and this should not be controversial. Ending qualified immunity will go a long way in improving public safety and preventing use of excessive force."

Tyson Herberger, Rabbi

"Police should be held to that standard of the law. Ideally even a higher standard. Qualified immunity allows police (and other government officials) to violate the law and abuse those they are meant to protect with full legal immunity - that is a perversion of justice in the extreme."

Terry Blevins, Retired Law Enforcement

"As a former officer I know that qualified immunity provides unfair protection for officials who need to be accountable."

David Polsky, Teacher

New Jersey

"No one should be allowed to murder others without cause and without justice."

Rebecca Brown, Activist

New York

"Eliminating qualified immunity is the crucial civil rights reform of our time. It enables financial restitution for victims of police misconduct and creates a strong incentive for public officials to adopt and enforce policies that prevent abuses which can lead to wrongful convictions and other misconduct."