Letter: Writer is ‘appalled’ by woman’s letter

I am appalled by the scathing attack on my people by Joyce Aguirre in her letter published in the June 20 issue of the Tribune. Not only was I appalled by her attack, I was amazed that she just dove right into the deep end of a subject about which she is very unqualified to speak; much less pass judgement and try to heap shame on Black people.

Normal people see a sign that says Black Lives Matter and apparently when reading that same sign, she thinks the sign is saying: Black Lives Matter More Than Other People’s Lives. And there are others who seem to make things up. Black people can’t help it if someone adds other words to what they say and make it something different. It’s all in their minds.

Years ago I and many others worked in the fields to bring food to the tables of others, and of course we did think about the people who were selling and the people who were eating the food. I claim no credit but farmworker pressure, not accident, is how Cesar Chavez came to represent farm workers and a union was formed. Workers didn’t have to burn the fields. They just refused to pick them and the farmer couldn’t sell the crops.

Some think that Blacks need to work hard (some more!) and do positive things to be considered equals and come up from the bottom. People shouldn’t be killed because someone thinks they are at the bottom!

Anyhow, after 400 years of slavery we don’t think much of that idea. It didn’t seem to be effective. When we work we just want to be paid equal pay for equal work. Justice is needed.

We should not even have to protest against systemic brutality and murders. It should not be happening. Whether protests be peaceful or not: That is beside the point. Enough is enough!

Racists keep treating Black people as if we don’t matter.

We do matter. Black Lives Matter.

If anyone wants Black people to feel ashamed; I will reveal a couple of things of which I am ashamed.

I am ashamed that we allowed our country to become so polluted by corruption, greed, ignorance and racism that people are dying because of it.

I am ashamed that Hispanic immigrant children were separated from their families and put into cages with no protocol in place to re-unite them.

Many people have experienced shame. We learn what we live. Now many of those same people are trying to project shame onto Black people.

People who know me are aware that my family is and has been bi-racial for decades. In fact, I have very few acquaintances, Black or White who don’t have a bi-racial couple somewhere in their family. That’s part of what it means to be American. We are a nation of immigrants. We are a multi-racial country.

Besides, we want to avoid being in-bred.

I love all people and my life has been a testimony to that. I believe we should try loving God and righteousness wholeheartedly and love our neighbor as we do ourselves. If we don’t we are doomed and foreigners will be the main benefactors of our inability to do what’s best for this country.

There are more people who are trying to save this country than the people who are trying to save White privilege.

Who needs White privilege? I’ll tell you. Incompetent weaklings!

— Marcella Andrews,

Madera