Dear Readers,

My skin is so white that the sunblock companies have photos of me in their Hall of Fame.  Therefore,  other white people have felt free to stun, to hurt and to disgust me with their openly and sometimes not so openly racist remarks.

The remarks have been made by former teacher co-workers, former church members, “friends,” family members, strangers, former classmates, parents of friends of my child… You name it.

I could write a book about what people have said to me and what I’ve said to them.  I might have forgiven those people,  (mostly) but I have not forgotten what they said.

At sixty-six, I’m no longer surprised.  Mostly saddened.

What is the matter with this world?  Where does all this racism, bigotry and hatred come from?  Haven’t humans evolved for the better?  It doesn’t seem so.

Each one of us could make real efforts every day in our own situations to combat racism, bigotry and hatred.

Please do so.

With all my heart,

Marguerite (Wunsch) Ferra, Camden, NJ