Letters to the Editor – October 18, 2017
Sen. Scott needs to wake up to the real world
To the Honorable Tim Scott, R-SC, it was disheartening and disappointing to hear you make the comment that you didn’t know why NFL players were kneeling for the national anthem. What rock have you been under for the last year plus? Either you are disingenuous in your words or you are incredibly naive and you and your staff aren’t doing your due diligence.
Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, the Charleston Nine just to name a few, do theses names ring a bell?, because they have been prominent news stories not just in the last year plus but for several years as examples of violence and inequalities against people of color. This my dear senator is what kneeling is all about, not disrespecting the flag or the national anthem, first responder’s or veterans.
The national anthem is used as the platform to bring attention to the problem much like John Carlos and Tommy Smith did at the Olympics, Muhammad Ali at the U.S. Army induction center, college students in North Carolina with sit-ins at Woolworth’s, the list goes on and are examples of which you should be familiar with. I just can’t believe you and others around the country are blinded to this detail. Once more, platform, no disrespect intended.
You have recently stated that you have fallen victim to police stops that were questionable so you aren’t a stranger to this behavior.
Without these actions you wouldn’t be able to enjoy the privilege that has been bestowed upon you, but please do not get it twisted and think that you have “made” it because there are members of that prestigious body that deplore the fact that you are there and there are still places they go that you are not privy to.
So wake up Sen. Scott to the real world with real problems, some right here in your backyard and the next time you bless us with a comment make sure it’s one that doesn’t make you look foolish and inept because the aforementioned one didn’t do you any favors.
Darryl K Stapleton
Darlington
Darlington needs more public servants, not more politicians
Politicians use other people money to get things done, Public servants use their own. Politicians want and take all the credit for successes in the community yet refuse to take any blame for deficiencies and failures. Public servants don’t care who gets the credit as long as the job gets down and will accept responsibility if the job does not get done. Politicians only care for the public image and are swayed by their emotions. Public servants care not about public image they just want to do the right thing. Politicians incite race tensions to motivate people to action. Public servants care nothing of race and sees all the same. On November 7 the citizens of Darlington will be electing City Council persons, let us be diligent in our selection and choose the right individuals. The City of Darlington does not need to elect individuals with agendas set on division of its citizens along racial lines. The economic future of this city, county and state depends and even demands solid rational leaders that seek to unite not divide. We need “Public Servants” that are sold out for the success of this great city not “Politicians” that seek to antagonize and bully the council and citizenship of Darlington. We cannot allow our city to become Timmonsville 2.0.
Rujon Williams
Darlington
