Bristol proves, time and time again, that they do not care. Racism is pointed out — in conversation, in this newspaper — and it is brushed aside by people who do not care enough to take a step back and think about how their actions affect other people. 

I have read many letters in the paper that suggest that America is not systemically racist, ignoring the fact that most American institutions (the police system, the prison industrial complex, etc.) are built on racism and the oppression and enslavement of Black people — not to mention the fact that the land of both North and South America was stolen from Native people and colonized by white Europeans. 

I have read letters saying that students and children should not be taught activism and progressiveness through Generation Citizen, a program that helped me and my LGBTQ+ friends teach our classmates about our community and how to help advocate for us. Teaching students to advocate for what they believe in is not evil.

I have had conversations and read letters where people have compared the stickers left around Bristol and Warren that depicted Nazi, White Supremacist and KKK imagery to Black Lives Matter. Does it not disgust you to see people saying that Black people protesting for their lives are worse than those murdering them? Do the people of this town want to be seen as Nazi sympathizers?

This town has shown me, at least, that they do not care. They do not care about teaching themselves or our youth to be anti-racist, to be allies to minorities who need them, or to have compassion.

There were debates this summer over whether a flag should be flown in solidarity with Black people who were — and still are — being killed due to police brutality. There was hesitancy to show support for an entire group of people who were being affected by police brutality. What is that supposed to say, about the leaders and citizens of this town? That you care?

The ignorance of Bristolians shocks and disgusts me, and until we are willing to learn and change, I will continue to be disgusted with the utterly shameless ignorance that is displayed daily.

Victor Bullard
Bristol