I am responding to a letter, “Shameful and divisive, ‘Citizens’ deny police racism exists.”

As Marianne Bergenholtz stated in her letter, her comments were based on personal experience while attending the first-responders flag-raising event at Independence Park. Similarly, my comments are also based on personal experience.

I do not remember organizer Mike Byrnes or any speaker denying that police racism exists. The article in the Phoenix quoted Mr. Byrnes as saying the police “serve us well in an era when their fellow police are under attack and depicted in the most outrageous manner — they deserve better.”  Not one of the speakers that day denied that racism exists in police ranks.

Ms Bergenholtz commented that Bristol County Concerned Citizens supporters came wearing slogans that support the most divisive rhetoric that can be found on right-wing media: Trump MAGA hats, a t-shirt emblazoned with hate speech such as “Sheep Kneel, Patriots Stand,” and a thin red and blue flag, a symbol that has caused strife …”

I saw people in black garb and others not in black wearing clothing and masks with messages stating their beliefs. Isn’t that what the First Amendment is about?

And the flag with a thin red and blue stripe was originally created to honor our police and firefighters, the very people the BCCC group was honoring that day. I thought that flag was appropriate for the occasion.

At the end of the event, I was encouraged by those folks who were willing to discuss and communicate their differences. Hopefully future conversations will ensue.

Bob Campanella
Bristol