To the Editor:
I react with horror as I read and watch the news and videos about a Florida concentration camp caging immigrants in unspeakable conditions. I search for ways to make a difference and help my fellow citizens return our great country to one of empathy and strength.
My options are limited, of course. I’ll continue to attend and share information about area protests and try to inspire others to make their voices heard. I will continue to speak out against injustice every chance I get.
Here is my “ask.”
Please take some time each day to read and watch the news and view videos being shared on many platforms. Like-minded folks who practice love and empathy tell me that this causes them pain and anguish. I get it. I really have to limit what I absorb in order to live a joyful life and keep my head in the game.
But remember, for a democracy to survive we must have an educated and informed public. The “fourth estate” of news media and the free press acts as a watchdog to hold the government accountable. Watching just a few videos of people being beaten and kidnapped by masked men should be enough to generate the necessary outrage to become politically active. You may wish to join a protest, contact a member of Congress or simply speak out at the next family gathering.
We are running out of time for good people to act. With Congress granting $40 billion to ICE, it’s just a matter of time before they start targeting dissenters who disagree with their all-powerful leader.
Yes, watching or reading the news can be painful. But if we don’t, the future of the American democracy is bleak. For many in the immigrant community, that day has already arrived.
Janet Yunghans
Petersburg
