One of the lessons of Black Lives Matter demonstrations is that white people need to speak and to act against racism. In this spirit, I am responding to two letters that appeared in The Day on June 29. Both rationalize the system of oppression that emerged after the Civil War and prevails today.

The first, “Show some fairness toward Confederate dead,” asserts that the Nazi soldiers of WWII were innocent victims so Confederate soldiers should be also. Germany, however, condemned its wartime actions and joined the civilized nations following it. Confederate soldiers and their heirs, by contrast, have been voting into office politicians who created Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, kangaroo courts and much more.

The second letter, “Unify for change, set aside political attacks,” interprets “unity” to mean support for Donald Trump. The author decries “violence in black neighborhoods…and other forces at work…to destroy society.” Trump, the president whose supporters yell “white power” without condemnation from him, is this writer’s hope for unity if only critics would leave him alone.

These letters effectively reflect the rationalizations used to keep racial discrimination and criminality alive.

David Collins

New London