To the editor:
This morning, someone driving by our home yelled out their car window “All Lives Matter.” I agree. It’s just that these days, it seems important to me that I publicly say that Black Lives Matter. Because I am privileged not to have to worry about treated more harshly because of the color of my skin. Because I have the privilege of never having to worry that my children will be treated poorly just because of the color of their skin. Because when old friends make the four-hour drive to New Hampshire with their teenage son and daughter, I worry that they will suffer the consequences of traveling while black. Big consequences, like being physically attacked. Lesser consequences, like being snubbed – which on the surface may appear to be no big deal, but which must be extremely hard on the soul over time.
My friend’s last visit was the same year that Trayvon Martin was shot for being black. I thought about him the day that she and her family were to arrive. I worried about them from the time they left their home until the time they reached us here in Peterborough. I felt responsible for their safety that day.
Today, I feel responsible for ensuring that I am not quiet when it comes to voicing my opinion about their lives, which matter very much to me. So, my Black Lives Matter sign will stay put. And if for some reason it disappears, I will happily replace it.
Cathy Lanigan
Peterborough