Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Subscriber Login
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Community
    • Covid-19 Updates
    • Crime
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
  • Classifieds
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber LogIn
    • Join us – Subscribe Today
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Community
    • Covid-19 Updates
    • Crime
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
  • Classifieds
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber LogIn
    • Join us – Subscribe Today
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Your Opinion

LETTER to the EDITOR: Dismissive letter was ‘dog whistle’

Spotlight News by Spotlight News
November 25, 2020
in Opinion, Your Opinion
0
LETTER to the EDITOR: Remove Kelly from Hall of Fame
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Dear editor,

This is in response to the Nov. 11 letter from John LaForte regarding the town’s resolution to support the fact that Black Lives Matter.

Mr. LaForte’s letter is a disgraceful attempt to dismiss the lives of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, who were both killed at the hands of law enforcement. It is clearly intended to incite hateful rhetoric and a dog whistle to the racists in our community. He said the resolution was divisive; however, I think the lack of understanding of the movement or its significance is exactly why the town needed to adopt the resolution. His letter highlights the fact that our town needs to take a stand against systemic racism because he is clearly supporting the racism which is so abhorrent to the majority of us, as represented by the passing of the resolution.

He asked, “How many of you wish you had a son like George Floyd?” and “How many of you wish your daughter would hook up with a man like Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend?” The fact that he felt her boyfriend was not worthy of one of our suburban daughters by using coded language to imply he was a bad man, but he implicitly said he was a bad man because he was black. He also implied George Floyd was a bad man, thus telling readers George Floyd did not deserve to live. Both of those citizens deserved to be treated as Mr. LaForte would expect to be treated, but their lives ended in tragic and unjustifiable deaths. Saying the BLM movement “has become synonymous to burning, looting, assaulting and murder and infiltrated with terrorists” is complete propaganda and perpetuates a false narrative.

For those who do not understand the movement, it is necessary to remember that historically people of color have suffered in our nation from the time of our takeover of Native American land, to slavery, to the Civil War, to Jim Crow laws, to the Civil Rights movement that continues because of the systemic racism that still pervades. People of color have had to fight to be treated as equals, and people like Mr. LaForte would prefer to consider them “less than.” This is both despicable and ignorant and I find it shameful that anyone would write a letter that is so completely hate-filled and racist.

Black Lives Matter is important because people are born with their skin color. Police and law enforcement CHOOSE their career and it does not completely color their identity. A white, off-duty police officer at a bar will not be treated any differently because he is police; in the same bar, a man or woman of color likely to be treated differently because of their skin color.

I would hope I am living in a community that would find his letter offensive and I am grateful that my town passed this resolution.

Kathy Saso

Bethlehem

Tags: Letter to the editor
Previous Post

Kevin Barhydt’s new book explores the journey of finding his birth family

Next Post

Five Questions: James Brown

Next Post
Five Questions: James Brown

Five Questions: James Brown

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

  • 7k Fans
  • 4.6k Fans
  • 608 Fans
  • 357 Subscribers

Recent News

Financial awareness increases during the pandemic

Financial awareness increases during the pandemic

January 26, 2021
Decision on ‘high risk’ sports up to county health departments

Decision on ‘high risk’ sports up to county health departments

January 26, 2021
Another potential candidate for Colonie supervisor — Tom Nardacci

Another potential candidate for Colonie supervisor — Tom Nardacci

January 25, 2021
SPOTTED: Bethlehem gymnasts get by Shaker

SPOTTED: Bethlehem gymnasts get by Shaker

January 25, 2021

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
POLL: 75 percent plan to get vaccinated; nearly half say Sen. Schumer will have a positive impact as majority leader

POLL: 75 percent plan to get vaccinated; nearly half say Sen. Schumer will have a positive impact as majority leader

January 20, 2021
Moriah Formica debuts new all-female band, Plush

Moriah Formica debuts new all-female band, Plush

January 22, 2021
Demolition of Tobin’s First Prize to start soon

Demolition of Tobin’s First Prize to start soon

January 21, 2021
James Sheldon, Jim’s Tastee Freez’s namesake, has died

James Sheldon, Jim’s Tastee Freez’s namesake, has died

January 20, 2021
Financial awareness increases during the pandemic

Financial awareness increases during the pandemic

January 26, 2021
Decision on ‘high risk’ sports up to county health departments

Decision on ‘high risk’ sports up to county health departments

January 26, 2021
Another potential candidate for Colonie supervisor — Tom Nardacci

Another potential candidate for Colonie supervisor — Tom Nardacci

January 25, 2021
SPOTTED: Bethlehem gymnasts get by Shaker

SPOTTED: Bethlehem gymnasts get by Shaker

January 25, 2021
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2021 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Opinion
  • Subscribe
  • Log In
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login

© 2021 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949