To the editor:

Yes, Black Lives Matter. Yes, the horrible death brought upon George Floyd is unthinkable, unforgiveable, but worthy, though, of calmer and more organized protest. I’m a leftover protester from the Vietnam, Cambodia Days where thoughtful moratoriums were participated in by thousands of college students around the county. It was a movement that had such an impact on America that it did make change — eventually. Yes, there was some violence, and yes, 12,614 people were arrested in a peaceful demonstration in Washington. The youth movement did unseat two presidents. Mostly, through peaceful means, it showed that mass movement — peaceful mass movement — can make a difference

But while we are all looking at the seriousness of George Floyd’s death, is it really necessary to loot and destroy property of those who already are in financial ruins due to COVID? While embracing the need to cease these revolting, racially-driven arrests and killings, we see the value in protest but violence does not have to be a part of it. We are all COVID-crazy. These protests have become an answer to so many people who are out there, tired of being caged like an animal at home and finding a reason to congregate and let ot the anger. This is not a suggestion that many out there are not expressing their outrage at racial profiling and death. But there is a general unrest that has been growing for the past four months and has been growing for generations. We are now a country of dual-unrest that has come crashing into itself.

Yes, Black Lives Matter, but remember all lives matter. Our president has now decided to blast China, once more announcing a new slew of retaliatory measures to further ruin the U.S.-China relations. It was bad enough when he blasted China for the COVID virus and leveled racist remarks and tried to propagate an anti-Asian attitude in the country. I have a Chinese daughter who now finds people staring at her or walking across the street when they see her. This is unacceptable. Her life matters. We need to become colorblind and embrace the melting pot that has always been America. We need to stand against all racism — direct and physical as happened to George Floyd or implied and purely “nasty” as perpetrated by our president and others.

Susan B. Winston

Hillsdale, New York