Charleston massacre
Racism not gone
Regarding “Area churches mourn Charleston victims” (Page A1, Friday), I think perhaps we were a more honest people in 1963. That was the year when a church bombing in Birmingham, Ala., that killed four little girls, and nobody idly speculated about whether this was some assault on Christianity. We all knew that this was racial terrorism. The shooting at Emanuel AME Church was racial terrorism, too.
This 21-year-old racist drove past many other Christian churches, traveling 100 miles to come to this particular church.
We want racism to be thing of the past, but it isn’t. And, given the age of the assailant, itmay be a part of our nation’s future.
P.A. Moye, Sugar Land
People kill
It is a tragedy for anyone to use guns to destroy life. We give our condolences to those who have lost friends and loved ones.
But I pray the media will use wisdom concerning the use of this tragedy to condemn “guns.” To take away guns would only promote the use of guns by the crazy, deranged and criminal elements.
Our Founders understood the consequences of an unprotected citizenry. Fear begets fear. Mobs beget mobs. To allow the unscrupulous to use fear to rouse the mobs will only produce more violence.
Roy W. Hutchinson, Booker
Too many guns
Numerous mass shootings in the U.S. only since President Obama has taken office. Why? Easy access to guns. I checked the many European countries and Canada (developed countries), and their total has not had anything close to this number of shootings or deaths to citizen-owned guns. And, our governor just signed a “right to carry” bill! Time to wake up, America!
Fred Olenick, Richmond
Solidarity
Martin Luther King Jr. said that the most segregated hour of the week is on Sundaymorning. In solidarity with our African-American neighbors, may I suggest that if you are a white church-goer, that you attend services today at a predominately black church. Expressing sympathy is laudable but more than words are needed now. After the tragedy at the Emanuel AME Church, wemust show by our actions that we are truly one nation under God.
Judy Adams, Houston