It broke my heart to see the damage downtown, but what I saw after that made me cry

The aftermath

I learned Sunday morning that my 29-year-old son was downtown helping clean up after the riots so I decided to drive down there to see. What I saw made me cry. The generosity of all kinds of folks — all the young people and private utility trucks and people with brooms. It was clearly good coming out of bad. Born and raised in Raleigh, it broke my heart to see profanity sprayed on our old granite building across from the capital. Please let me say how very proud I am of these young people who offered their services to help our city.

Julia Dixon, Raleigh

City leaders failed

It is bad enough that Raleigh City Council has effectively stifled public participation opportunities. But there is an expectation of safety and protection for the businesses and residents, especially for Raleigh’s crown jewel — downtown.

Free speech is a constitutional right, but there should be no tolerance for people who break the law. Destruction of storefronts and vandalism just shows lack of planning and use of resources. Now there will be another hardship and cost for the shops and residents to bear.

Where was our mayor and City Council? Why wasn’t a curfew put in place in advance? Actions nationwide were a precursor here. City government was not paying close enough attention.

I am not blaming the police and other service personnel. They can only do what they are directed to do. Leadership took a holiday Saturday night when the city needed it desperately. Don’t look to the governor. The mayor and City Council were elected to manage. They failed miserably.

Larry Helfant, Raleigh

Young black men

Again and again, we hear the stories of young, black men being murdered for no other reason than they are black. I imagine my own beautiful boys, brown and tall, jogging, driving and walking down the street. My veil of white privilege keeps them safe when I am with them. It’s another story if they are alone.

I straddle the lines between two worlds. The world of white privilege where I jog, drive and walk without fear. And the other world in which my children and husband live, where every move has to be calculated and carefully considered. I am tired. I am sad. Sad for the lives already lost. Sad for the lives that will be lost. Sad for the hatred that is boiling within us.

Suzanne Maman, Chapel Hill

Raleigh police

The murder and injustice of George Floyd is a national tragedy. Demonstrations in Raleigh and other cities are warranted and justified. However, the violence, riots and destruction in Raleigh and other cities is neither warranted nor justified. These law-breaking rioters abused their privileges and should be condemned.

I am disappointed that the Raleigh Police Department arrested only 12 people Saturday when scores more were involved in unlawful activity. Surely RPD could have imagined the destructive results, been better prepared and arrested more rioters. A weak response sends a passive message for subsequent demonstrations.

Frank Smith, Raleigh

Thank you, RPD

Like most Americans, I’m grieving the senseless death of George Floyd. What happened to him was disgusting and, quite simply, it was murder. But that does not give anyone authorization to commit additional crimes.

My sincerest thanks to Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown and all assisting agencies who put their lives at risk while protecting our citizens.

Black lives do matter! But violent actions that harm our citizens, even when in protest of other senseless crimes will never be acceptable.

Kathy Repass, Cary

Protesters must vote

I hope the protesters all over the country know that if they turn out to vote in November, they will swing the election. A new president will be elected who will know that this must be fixed now. If they don’t vote, that will swing the election the other way. They’ve got to stop the last 55-plus years of injustice while everyone still has equal rights.

Don Francisco, Pittsboro

Drive-thru voting

I agree the N.C. House of Representatives should be praised for passing a bill which enhances voting by mail. But I do not believe this bill goes far enough.

Another bill, HB 1184, includes a provision for enhanced curbside voting, called Drive-Thru Voting. This safe way of voting would establish temporary voting sites in parking lots or on parking decks.

Voters would drive up to a sign-in table manned by virus-protected poll workers, obtain paper ballots, mark them with disposable pens, then drive to a ballot scanner or ballot box to cast their ballot.

This plan would enable voters who don’t vote by mail to safely cast their votes in early voting and on Election Day. It would not require much additional funding. I hope N.C. House will consider HB 1184 as soon as possible.

Thomas Henkel, Chapel Hill