Monday's riot in Baltimore was just a symptom of the ills plaguing America today ("Baltimore descends into chaos, violence, looting," April 28).
Prejudice is rampant, but it has gone underground. People of color and gay people are fully aware of the divide between those who work to accept all human beings as equals and those who don't.
We have a serious problem with police brutality all across the U.S., and many other police departments are going to feel the backlash from their current behavior, as will all those who don't honor and respect others because of their race or creed.
What will Baltimore do? Instead of listening to their people and trying to understand where this anger came from and what to do about it, city officials will harshly prosecute the rioters. This does not bode well for the country.
Perhaps it is time to start abiding by the phrase: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
James Moss, Boxborough, Mass.