Dear Ms. Jennings,
Thank you for your moving, courageous and enlightening essay. You have eloquently captured the pernicious effects of the constant inherent racial bias that people of color endure.
I’m an old Jewish guy born in Brooklyn and raised in a home where social justice was a constant drum beat and shaped my lifelong thinking and actions.
I’ve been a optimist all my life but have come to the realization that there are many so called human beings that are just plain ignorant and fearful. As individuals and as a community we have to confront and shame those behaviors when we encounter them and not (as Bob Dylan wrote) “pretend that he just doesn’t see.”
Perhaps we are at a point of awakening in this country but the deep seated ignorance will always be there. Our best defense might be to live a good and honest life and to know that the ignorant hateful people in this world have to endure the pain of looking themselves in the mirror every day.
With deep respect and gratitude,
Lou Liebhaber
Warwick