How we value the lives of all of our citizens defines who we are as a nation. How we value the lives of our fellow humans defines who we are as members of the human race. Law enforcement agencies represent the government. When some citizens live in fear of the police, that translates into fear of their government. Where that condition exists, it should trouble everybody. Not to be part of resolving this affront to our core values that Ferguson, Staten Island, Cleveland and elsewhere represent means apathy reigns.
When protesters disrupted the Christmas lighting activities at the Washington Monument, they were expressing that business as usual was in conflict with celebrating the Prince of Peace ("Demonstrators interrupt Baltimore monument lighting event," Dec. 5). More disconcerting than the noise from a hundred protesters was that so few of the 600,000 Baltimoreans bothered to take a stand for justice.
The larger irony in the matter of how our government treats all of its citizens is how this condition compares with how people are treated by governments in other cultures. We have rightly condemned how the Islamic State treats its citizens. As a world leader, we have committed much blood and treasure to demonstrate to the world community that we believe all people should be treated with humanity, regardless of their differences. I suspect that in some corners of the world, when people see news accounts from America, they say, "Really?"
Arthur Pierce, Randallstown