Dear Mr. Lewis,
In the first twenty three pages of your book MARCH, I felt an anger boil inside of me while my eyes read the black-inked words from left to right, down each page. Why would someone have the motive to bomb a church? Why would teenagers drive through town to celebrate the deaths of four young aged girls from the church bombing? Why would another group of white teenagers, that were Eagle Scouts shoot a thirteen year old black boy off a bike who was minding his own business? And finally, why would a white police officer shoot and kill a black, sixteen year old innocent boy?
Twenty one were injured and four were killed from the church bombing. Each soul harmed was a child. It was annual “youth day” and the church had several young aged people in attendance. When the group of white, male teenagers drove through town waving their confederate flag, celebrating the deaths of those girls from the bombing, they passed three black male teenagers and threw an object at them, trying to hit one of them. In their defense, they all picked up rocks and started throwing them at the boys in the car. A white police officer noticed and put his sirens on. He cornered one of the three black teenagers when everyone attempted to scatter and then shot him dead. He claimed it was an accident and wasn’t indicted.
These incidents should not have happened back then and they definitely should not be happening in today’s world. As a nation, we need to put an end to racism and discrimination. God made us the way that we are for a reason and we need to treat one another with respect and kindness, regardless of someone’s skin color!
Sincerely,
Michael Hayes
John Lewis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis_(civil_rights_leader)
