Editor, The Smithfield Times:

Your readers may already be aware of the offensive and despicable actions displayed by Black Lives Matter and also our own local NAACP representative at last week’s Windsor Town Hall meeting. There were 20 or so self-identified BLM “protesters” at the meeting. They appeared to be mostly from out of town.

To start the meeting, the usual pledge of allegiance was called for as the mayor asked everyone to rise and turn around to face the flag displayed in the rear of the meeting room. Everyone complied except for seven or eight BLM people who remained seated, facing AWAY from the U.S. flag. One of them even displayed a large BLM flag in a contemptuous manner as the rest of us respectfully recited the pledge. This deliberately mocking BLM gesture was the most disrespectful, unpatriotic and shameful display of hatred for our country that I have ever personally witnessed.

Several of the BLM speakers who later addressed the Town Council spoke openly of their hatred for our country, calling America a racist nation, among other things, and even used some expletives in disrespect for not only the Windsor Town Council but all others in the room.

My second great disappointment during the meeting was the remarks made by the head of our own local NAACP chapter. She displayed an open mistrust of our own county law enforcement officers and insinuated that the town government and its police force were untrustworthy and hiding information about that regrettable traffic incident in Windsor.

Unfortunately for all of us living here in Isle of Wight County, she had earlier, very unfairly, maligned and showed contempt for our county by going public with her complaint in front of the entire Hampton Roads region.

Neither of these contemptible groups would have uttered a word had the driver in that Windsor traffic stop been white. Windsor and our county are now objects of national ridicule because of these socially poisonous BLM and NAACP attacks.

Allow me to quote one sentence from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous 1963 speech: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I submit to all that both the NAACP and BLM are exactly the OPPOSITE of what Dr. King dreamed of.

 

Albert P. Burckard Jr.

Carrollton