When are we going to start?

Yes, my white friends when are we going to start standing for all people to be treated fairly and with respect? There have been way too many events like the one in Minneapolis where our black brothers and sisters have been abused and killed by the local police.

When are we going to start standing up for the youth who are frustrated and angry with their situation - limited employment, lack of health care for themselves and their families and an educational system that will keep them in poverty? When are we going to realize that a lot of the Minneapolis protesters waving their Confederate flags are not black youth from the area? When will our local police forces include African American and other officers of diverse backgrounds?

And finally, when are we going to start speaking up when we hear hate speech? We must address these issues if we want our community to be a respectful one in the future where all can live peacefully together.

Elizabeth R. McKay

Inverness