Hoping immigration will continue in U.S.
I am the progeny of immigrants. On my paternal side, they arrived from England in 1658 in Maryland. My maternal grandparents arrived from Sicily around 1900. My parents were blue-collar workers – carpenter and telephone operator – who sent my brother and me to first-tier universities. I believe in the importance of immigration to this country in the past, the present and the future. I also believe that it is critical that we replace those who oppose this or we ask France to take back the Statue of Liberty.
I sincerely hope that the Statue of Liberty will remain in New York harbor. On it are these words:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
James M. Hemsley
It’s up to whites to end all racism
Recently, on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., I had an epiphany. It happened after I heard from a black friend of mine that she was in despair; after I heard the words spoken about Haiti and Africa; after I watched “I’m Not Your Negro.” My epiphany? It is not up to black or brown or red folks to bring racism to an end. It’s up to us, the white folks.
In the name of justified racism, whites committed genocide against native people, fought brown people and enslaved black people so we could prosper. And white people continue to profit from a racism that denies black, brown and red people of an equal education, fair justice system, accessible health care and good job opportunities.
Sadly, racism is ingrained in the heads of white folks. Until we own up to our arrogance, guilt and distorted beliefs, we will continue to perpetuate racism; that is, the belief that whites are superior to other races.
Perhaps it would help us to go into our hearts instead of our heads and feel the words of Jesus, which tell us all people are valuable, and all deserve our love and compassion.
Judith Pedersen-Benn
Keep Rossville med clinic open for area
A lot of us residents of Rossville who are patients at Primary Health Care Center are very concerned about the problem between Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield and the center over the rent charged to the center. For the center to close or relocate would pose a great hardship to us who are elderly, disabled and low income. The center is so close to the residents of Rossville and is very accessible to the disabled. It is important to the community for the center to remain open and available to us who depend on it.
The doctors, nurses, technicians and office staff do marvelous work for us patients, and it would be a shame to close it. I urge Commissioner Whitfield and the owners of the center to reach an amicable agreement on the rent and keep the center open for Rossville’s citizens.
Ellen M. Campbell
Rossville