All should feel safe

The other day I was talking with a close friend who is a professor and is black. I was encouraging her to get her three boys out in some fresh air and maybe hike a trail near their apartment. She replied, “I’m scared to let those boys out there; they might scare someone and then get attacked.”

Black parents make these value decisions about safety every day, and I rarely had to while bringing up my boys. I am white.

I really want to join the protesters, but being old, I fear covid-19 lurking in crowds. I can only make my yard sign, write letters, and encourage everyone I meet to vote in the next election. I have one reason to fear—covid—but George Floyd, Eric Garner, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, and many others had triple fears for their lives: covid, rogue police, and vigilantes. Even young children have to watch their backs constantly.

In our Declaration of Independence, all citizens have the right to feel safe, in these words, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Why do just some Americans feel safe? Every single vote counts. Let’s vote our conscience and change the future for all children. ANDREA ROSSI MEURER

Little Rock