History is repeating; vote for real change
On June 6, there was a demonstration here in Morgantown in support of Black Lives Matter. It happened to be the anniversary of an incident that took place in 1966 when James Meredith was shot by a white man during his “March Against Fear” from Memphis, Tenn., to Jackson, Miss.
The purpose of his march was to encourage black citizens to register to vote. Fortunately, he survived the assassination attempt. The below quote is from a description of the event from the Equal Justice Initiative website.
“Mr. Meredith crossed the Mississippi border on the morning of June 6, 1966, accompanied by a handful of friends and supporters. State police and FBI agents monitored the march while reporters and photographers trailed behind. A few miles south of Hernando, Miss., Aubrey Norvell, a white salesman, ambushed Mr. Meredith from the woods and shot him in the neck, head and back. Before he started shooting, Mr. Norvell warned bystanders to disperse and twice shouted out Mr. Meredith’s name from the woods, but law enforcement did nothing to protect Mr. Meredith.”
After the attack on Mr. Meredith, thousands joined the march and completed it in his place. The death of George Floyd and the heavy handed tactics used by law enforcement against protesters inflamed the situation. It inspired people throughout the country and the world to join in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
After living through the 1960s, I hoped that we as a nation would never find ourselves in this situation again. My hope now is that these demonstrations and efforts by concerned citizens lead us to a better country. Change may begin on the soapbox but it comes to fruition at the ballot box. If you want to see real change, you must engage in the political process and vote.
Gloria Sofranko
Morgantown
Morgantown NOW and NAACP support equality
The Morgantown Chapter of the National Organization for Women supports equality through fighting oppression and working to eradicate racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, xenophobia, religious persecution and any system that would perpetuate inequality and oppression.
Morgantown NOW has made it a priority to foster better and closer relationships between other organizations in Morgantown and throughout the state that support those same basic goals in order to listen and educate each other, to be better allies and to improve our communities and state.
Morgantown NOW recognizes the voice and work of the Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP as an important ally in the fight against inequality and oppression. Morgantown NOW also supports the Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP’s recent letter to the Morgantown Police Department regarding the importance of creating safer communities through addressing concerns regarding oversight, transparency, deescalation, racism in policing and fostering a good relationship between the Morgantown Police Department and the community.
It is the responsibility of all members of a community to work to make that community a better and safer place to live for all of its members. For more information and to find out how you can become involved, please contact the Morgantown/Kingwood Branch of the NAACP, Jerry Carr Jr., President, at 3241NAACP@gmail.com or Morgantown NOW President Amanda Ray at MorgantownNOW@gmail.com
Amanda Ray
President of
Morgantown NOW
Morgantown
War on Trump: ‘Never let a crisis go to waste’
I must admit that it has become more difficult to pen a letter in response to a growing anti-Trump bias in the mainstream media in general and this paper in particular. My mother always told me that if I didn’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
The attempt to remove President Trump from office began even before he was elected. It has become an incessant fixation with progressives nationwide and their media comrades. He is blamed for everything from Russian collusion in the 2016 election, to deteriorating race relations, to the COVID-19 pandemic, to police brutality, to impeachment and to the riots, looting and criminal behavior playing out on our major cities’ streets as we speak.
Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s Chief of Staff, once coined the phrase “Never let a crisis go to waste” — meaning, we should use crises to advance a political agenda and narrative to the progressives’ advantage. Is it any wonder that President Trump has fought back and called the media out as a mouthpiece of the progressive left? What ever happened to objective and unbiased reporting? Is a fair press indeed dead in America?
“War being waged on free press amid national protests” (DP-06-05-20) began as a surprise in that the first half didn’t mention or blame the current administration for the targeting of media by law enforcement in the current protest crisis. And then — BAM. There it was. “This is what happens after four years of the president waging war on the press.” Ronald Reagan would be wanton to say, “There you go again!”
So, what will the press do when Trump wins reelection in November? Will they cry openly as they did in 2016? Will your national syndicated news service — the Associated Press — suddenly become something other than a mouthpiece for the left? Whatever the case, I would suggest you get ready for that to happen. No amount of vindictive editorials or letters to the editor will change that fact. Remember — never let a crisis go to waste.
Dallas Branch
Morgantown
Blue Lives Matter banner not racist symbol
In discussing public issues one “red flag” to watch for is when one group seeks to deny to another group the freedoms the first group freely exercises.
That assbackwards maneuver was clear in article “Blue Lives sign raises red flags during webinar” (DP-06-11-20).
The article noted that the Blue Lives Matters flag was “flown by white supremacists, appearing next to Confederate flags at a rally in Charlottesville,” implying that made the Blue Lives Matter banner racist.
Using that same logic, we could note the Black Lives Matter banner was carried by groups of arsonists and looters in cities across the country; therefore, the Black Lives Matter group supports those criminal activities.
Both positions are absolutely wrong.
These two flags are respectable banners of noble causes. Unfortunately, they are subject to use by groups seeking a measure of respectability they don’t deserve.
To see a WVU professor buy into the racial argument against the Blue Lives Matter flag is disheartening and disappointing. He writes the displaying of the Blue Lives banner, “Clearly communicates especially to our Black students, indigenous students and other students of color that their lives do not matter and they are not welcome here” is faction of the highest order.
He should think about what the university police would do if those students would get into a life-threatening situation. Those university police, without hesitation, would run in to protect those students.
The murder of George Floyd hopefully is a watershed event that will bring about needed reforms of policies and attitudes as this nation continues its move toward banishing racism in all forms. We can’t let his death be in vain.
But it is indeed troubling when one legitimate group seeks to keep another legitimate group from expressing its pride and support.
C. D. “Tony” Hylton III
Morgantown
Reader condemns ‘the apologetic generation’
The abuse by police officers in a few cases is not acceptable, but for generals, congress members, sheriffs and police chiefs to apologize to the criminal protestors for being photographed with the American flag is nauseating to me.
What happened to the Greatest Generation who fought to protect freedom and the American flag and to quash communism? There seems to be a flurry of snowflakes drifting down on our society who have no backbone and, as the country song implies, if you don’t stand for something, freedom, you will fall for anything.
I served in the military. My brother served in the Navy during the blockade of Cuba. My cousin died in WWII when his B-17 was shot down over Germany.
It will be a disaster when we have no police protection and the leaders kneel before the criminals who destroy the communities which were built by individuals with their blood, sweat and tears.
Order needs to be restored by leaders with common sense plans that will bring civility back for all races. The division in politics is pathetic. Politicians were sent to D.C. to solve problems, not to create anarchy.
Gene Lemley
Bruceton Mills
