Thanks and hope

I want you to know how much I appreciated the editorial [Hope amid the horrors] in June’s Jewish Rhode Island. You nailed it during this terrorizing storm we are uncomfortable and unsure of how to navigate. I applaud your clear approach to defining problems and sharing effective solutions. Calling our attention to the unexpected improvement in the environment (since the quarantine) provided much needed personal relief from daily reports of tragedies, and horrendous working conditions healthcare professionals, patients, and hospitals endured because of lack of essential supplies. How was this possible in America in the 21st Century?   

I appreciate your attention to the horror that hovers over African Americans and people of color in America. Who are we kidding telling the world America is the home of the free, the best example of a melting pot of differences, where “all men/humans” are created equal and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?”

Your call for action with suggestions of how everyone can contribute to removing America’s system of injustice enhanced the editorial. It raised it from an opinion to a powerful message motivating readers to assume responsibility and act purposely to improve the greater good. Your suggestions to right our wrongs are clear, simple and intelligent; exceptional because they can and should be enacted in all age groups. Jews, above all, should never need reminding about the horrors of racism. Immediate action to eliminate it should be automatic. Racism, like viruses, becomes rampant killing innocent people who suffer under the spell of individuals who are immune to atrocities, inequality, and disenfranchisement. We must do everything possible to eradicate it.

Thank you for giving me a sense of hope that there’s a chance “we will emerge from this turmoil as better people, as a better community, and as a better country.” I pray to G-d you are right.

Suzanne Grossman
Riverside, RI