Joan Mullins (Murray) - July 1, 2020

To the editor:

Black Lives Matter? Black lives don’t really matter to them. BLM’s goal is to protest, damage, loot and destroy. Is destruction an expression of freedom? Is that what you want to teach your children?

We have had the privilege of living next to, working with, worshiping with and having dear friends who were a different color than us. All fine people.

Our state and local governments are allowing this destruction to continue. Are YOU “offended” by BLM behavior? These protesters are NOT hard-working people who pay taxes, own businesses or take pride in their neighborhoods. They are outsiders who come in, intimidate, demand and destroy. We tolerate their vile language, destruction and demands hoping to keep peace. These radicals will soon try to take over our religious symbols, our churches, homes, businesses, halls of fame AND our freedom if we continue to allow it.

They want to remove our statues and replace them with their statues – the burned out and boarded up buildings left behind in the aftermath if they don’t get their way.

Removing a statue will not remove history. Are they “offended” if their name happens to be the same as one of the “offending” statues? Sherman, Lee, Washington, Martin L. King, Rosa, Davis, etc. Are they as EAGER to change their name as destroy a statue? A lot of Black people have risen high above the heights of statues. Statues are being destroyed throughout the world that had nothing to do with BLM war Civil War. Read history. How do you think Hitler, ISIS and other terrorist groups got started?

Stand up for freedom, your flag.

Joan Mullins

Murray

The foregoing was a "Letter to the Editor" submitted to and printed by the Murray Ledger & Times. The entry has not been edited and is presented as it was printed on the date listed with the entry.

From June 5, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021, the Murray Ledger & Times printed 50 "Letters to the Editor" related to Murray's Confederate monument. Those 50 letters were written by 38 different people; and of those individuals, 22 were in favor of relocating the monument, 11 wrote in support of it remaining in its present location and five did not take a clear stance on either side. The letter above is part of a collection curated by The Sentinel to provide an overview of the sentiments expressed.