We must take actions to bring about change

Editor: We have witnessed the brutal murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless others who have been targeted in our country simply because they are black. These acts violate the very core values of Pacific and our commitment to inclusion, dignity and acceptance.

So many voices in our society are crying to be heard, calling for change and looking for someone to listen. We have a responsibility to listen to our black community and amplify calls for justice. We stand with you and are committed to working together to make our community a better place for everyone. We support our community in expressing their outrage, and we stand in solidarity with our students, faculty, staff and community in the fight against systemic racism and injustice.

Having a desire for change is different than having a commitment to change. To be part of the solution, we must take concrete actions and develop meaningful approaches to mitigating racism and inequality in our Pacific community and in our country. Our first step begins today in admitting we do not have all of the answers, and we acknowledge that we can and we must do better as an institution. We are committed to having a series of conversations that will begin this month, to hear the voices of those who have been disenfranchised in our society and on our campuses in order to make institutional change. MARIA PALLAVICINI

Interim President, University of the Pacific

We will need patience moving forward

Editor: In the last few months our country has been in real trouble. More than 100,000 coronavirus deaths, financial problems, political divisiveness and radical leadership. These problems make workingclass life miserable.

Still, these problems were unsolved, and George Floyd’s death highlighted a big issue for the country and government. If Mr. Trump would be wise, this problem can be solved, but unfortunately he tried to show his power and made the situation worse. This country is not a one-man or one-party country. The USA is a Democratic country. Everyone has the right to get his/her right under the law and I support it and request patience.

Election 2020 is just ahead. I request to all voters to please think and vote for an honorable man/woman, have patience, make us united and not create the hate between us and problems around the world. MUSHTAQ A TAHIRKHELI

Lodi

A matter of justice

Editor: I am a bit confused. The country is angry with our president because he called on the military. He called on the military to protect the White House, to protect the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian.

People, these treasures belong to us, the people of the United States. If they are torn down, defaced, ruined beyond repair, part of our history, white, black, yellow, red, we all lose. I believe black lives matter, especially all those black lives that wore blue and have died because of this. Not the peaceful, not the protesters, but the criminals that take advantage of both sides. I pray we can come together as a people and squash the unlawful, the unruly, the hypocrites who pretend they are for the other guy, while they steal, destroy from their own as well as others.

Folks, this is not about black or white, this is about justice (which our system seems to be working through) and about black and white coming together to end the tyranny of scum bag police officers and unruly organized thugs that are only about destruction and stealing.

I stand for the family of Mr. Floyd and every black, white and those of other colors who have been abused by a system, including the Jews. Please let us be one for all those that are within the law and against all of those that would be criminal. And please let’s all pray together for Mr. Floyd and the other innocent people who have been seriously injured or killed in this mess. These are the people that we have to surround with our thoughts, prayers, kindness — not the thugs that our president is attempting to protect our nation from.

God Bless America, God Bless Mr. Floyd’s family and God Bless all the officers and their families that the thugs have injured or killed. Pray for our leaders and officers that are doing their best to restore peace and calm while protecting our country’s treasures, and your homes and businesses. ORLENE DENTONE

Acampo

We need prayer, not more protests

Editor: The story about plans for the “peaceful protest” disappoints and upsets me greatly. Lodians do not need to make such a protest.

If we have anything to protest about locally, we can do it with our own leaders. Planning this protest is a great mistake given the history of protests in other places. It would be much better for our city and its inhabitants if someone planned a prayer vigil for George Floyd in the parking lot of one of our churches. After all, his brutal murder was completely unnecessary and prayer for his soul and his family is much more to the point and much more like Lodi. We do not need to be copycats.

GWINNETT MITCHELL

Lodi

A lack of tolerance in Napear firing

Editor: I’m not a big sports fan, so an item in the news has me baffled. Grant Napear, a play-byplay announcer and sports radio host, was asked, “What’s your take on BLM?”

BLM is a, perhaps unfortunately named, reference to the Black Lives Matter movement. His response, “ALL LIVES MATTER… EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!”

This response resulted in his firing from his radio gig and his forced resignation from his play-by-play job. My take from this is that these two organizations do not agree with Mr. Napear. They believe that all lives do not matter. Would that not make them the racists?

I feel sorry for Mr. Napear, but there is a bright spot. He will, hopefully, find a new job with a firm that believes in racial equality. A company not as bigoted as the Sacramento Kings basketball team or radio station KHTK 1140. THOM. H. MAGNUSON

Stockton