The continued killings of black people by white people fill me with sadness and angst. Our democratic institutions are failing us. Many elected leaders and even some courts and police departments are turning a blind eye to each citizen’s constitutional right to equal treatment under the law.
I search for hope in these troubling times. The predominantly peaceful protesters offer reassurance. I add my voice to theirs. In particular, I urge us to press for laws and procedures that make the election process fair and accessible to all citizens. The right to vote applies no matter our race, ethnicity, religion, income status, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Please tell Montana’s congressional representatives to strengthen, not dilute, the Voter Rights Act. Please support nonprofit organizations like Let America Vote and the ACLU. Please vote thoughtfully in the November general election.
In my view, Montana does not need four more years of a Divider-in-Chief; rather, we need a Uniter-in-Chief, with the moral compass and steady hand to guide us forward.
Let’s reaffirm diversity and compassion as strengths, education and economic prosperity as opportunities open to all, science as essential to our understanding of the world, and global harmony as a worthy goal.
Doris Fischer
Sheridan
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 6/16/20