To the editor:

In the aftermath of the recent brutal killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis, it is critically important for white people, including those of us in Barrington Interfaith Partners, to educate ourselves about racism.

White people usually think racism is merely prejudice or ignorance or believing negative stereotypes about people of color. However, racism is much more complicated than this, and eliminating it will require so much more than refuting misinformation about black people, and convincing white people to just be more tolerant and accepting.

Prejudice is indeed a component of racism; the other component is power. And it is that power that perpetuates it and makes it so dangerous and deadly. Racism uses power to separate, isolate, and exploit, based on the belief in the superiority of those wielding the power, and it institutionalizes both that prejudice and that power. It is evident in our neighborhoods, our schools, our healthcare and law enforcement systems, and in our government. We must learn to recognize it, name it, and stand up against it.

A few of the resources that Barrington Interfaith Partners recommends to help understand and combat racism are: standingupforracialjustice.org (Standing Up for Racial Justice); “White Fragility,” by Robin DiAngelo; “Stand Your Ground,” by Kelly Brown Douglas; “How to be an Anti-Racist,” by Ibram Kendi; “Just Mercy,” by Bryan Stevenson; and any books or articles by Tim Wise.

Black people are being disproportionately killed by COVID-19; they are being disproportionately impacted by the downturn in the economy and by housing and wealth disparities; they are disproportionately affected by voter suppression tactics; their children are being disproportionately disadvantaged by distance learning and hunger; they are incarcerated for lesser crimes and for longer periods than are white people. They are being disproportionately killed by police and other white people. All of this must stop now. We must continue to remember and say the names of those killed: Tamir Rice (age 12), Amadou Diallo, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, LaQuan MacDonald, Freddie Gray, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, and so many others. And now, George Floyd, whose last words before he was lynched were, “Please sir, I can’t breathe. Don’t kill me. I can’t breathe.” BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Barrington Interfaith Partners

Mudge Anderson

Barrington

Nancy Arena

Barrington

Dale Azevedo

Barrington

Elizabeth Azevedo

Barrington

Trinki Brueckner

Barrington

Ann Doran

Barrington

Elsa Grieder

Barrington

Susannah Holloway

Barrington

Lois Kemp

Barrington

Sandy Lewis

Barrington

Marlene Manchester

Barrington

Pamela Poniatowski

Riverside

Maxine Richman

Riverside

Susan Rotblat-Walker

Bristol

Helen Schall

Barrington

Cindy Thomsen

Barrington

Rev. Patrick Greene

Barrington