Silent Vigil
Dear Editor: Monday night’s silent vigil was a powerful and important event. The solidarity and the quiet determination and commitment of the attendees was very moving. Thank you to the organizers, contributors, and participants.
Most impressive was the number of young Sitkans in attendance. It gives us great hope that, finally, with a new generation, we can seriously and effectively deal with America’s systemic racism. In the positive direction we need to be heading, we say to these wise young people, “Lead on.” Thank you.
Norm and Toby Campbell, Sitka
Protests
Dear Editor: How ironic that counter protesters across from Monday evening’s vigil carried a Colonial-era American Flag. (Sitka Sentinel front page, June 2, 2020)
The American revolt against Great Britain in the late 1700s was presaged by a number of protests. These were protests of people against their government. People who felt unrepresented, financially hampered by policy and regulation, and treated unfairly by their government. People that considered their legal leaders tyrants and every avenue for redress exhausted.
If you say Samuel Adams today people think of a beer. He’s an American Patriot. Do you remember in history class reading about the Sons of Liberty that he founded? They used public demonstrations, boycott, and threats of violence to prevent British tax laws from being enforced. They burned the records of the vice admiralty court in Boston and looted the home of the chief justice. During a boycott of British goods they broke windows of shops that didn’t comply.
When we read about the Boston Massacre that occurred 250 years ago it’s not very different from many current news articles: “Amid tense relations between the civilians and the soldiers, a mob formed around a British sentry and verbally abused him. He was eventually supported by seven additional soldiers, led by Captain Thomas Preston, who were hit by clubs, stones, and snowballs. Eventually, one soldier fired, prompting the others to fire without an order by Preston. The gunfire instantly killed three people and wounded eight others, two of whom later died of their wounds.”(Encyclopeadia Britannica) After an investigation, of the eight soldiers charged two were convicted of manslaughter but had their sentences reduced.
People now considered American patriots burned a British warship that had been enforcing trade regulations. Look up the Gaspee Affair and read about it.
These are just a few of numerous accounts from our country’s early history. Events before war was declared. Our history full of abuse, destruction, pain and protest. People trying to create change by breaking the law when the law wouldn’t provide an avenue for change. People trying to make things right and often doing things wrong in the process because they have no other means available.
While no one should condone the looting and vandalism some commit during the protests, we might take a closer look at the frustration that drives people to it before condemning all protesters out of hand. After all, it was a key element in our country’s birth.
John Feryok, Sitka
