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Protest take-aways

Recently, I joined with Congressman Sean Casten and hundreds of others from Lombard, Glen Ellyn, and Wheaton to make a public statement about the need for serious changes to racist police practices in our communities and throughout the U.S. For two hours, as many cars passed our signs and placards on busy Roosevelt Road, we received enthusiastic honks and gratitude from at least 75% of those who saw us. Later, my husband and I joined about 300 fellow Lombardians at a peace and justice rally at Four Seasons Park in Lombard, where we heard impassioned and intelligent testimony about the need for change in policing and racist attitudes and practices that impact peoples' lives in our community. Similar rallies, some with considerably larger attendance, took place in Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn and Wheaton, to name a few.

I have three take-aways from my weekend experiences: There is overwhelming public sentiment in our congressional district about the need to address racist police practices, and racism in general. We have a congressman in Sean Casten who "gets it" and is willing to "walk the talk" to serve the community he has been elected to represent in Washington. Casten's opponent Jeanne Ives' hateful anti-protester social media posts lumping peaceful protesters with violent agitators do not reflect the sentiments of 6th District constituents.

Florence Appel

Lombard

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