When a children say cruel things, it is the responsibility of adults to teach that child how to be kinder. When a community member spouts (or emails) ignorant, bigoted and hateful statements, it our responsibility as a community to teach this person that their behavior is unacceptable and that we can be different in the future.
That is what it means to be a responsible community member.
My question is to the person who wrote to the newspaper about Penny Ricketts needing tougher skin. Instead of recommending positive solutions to build a better community, why do you critique Penny? What kind of community do you want to live in? In American history, threatening letters to black citizens have been preludes to lynching, bombings, and shootings.
Discrimination has not stopped, and the only way to change that is by changing our community. I hope the letter writer will see this. It is not “PC” to expect common decency and respect. It is basic dignity.
Betsy Shapiro
Greenfield