My family is writing concerning the content of the June 3 Landmark, starting with the commentary of JoAnne Kosey in the Opinion section. We have seen her commentary in this section of this paper for quite some time now and do not expect much depth or insight from the author.
We do, though, expect for human lives to be treated with more dignity and respect, especially in the face of the incredible tragedy of Georgy Floyd’s murder, which was referred to as simply a death in her commentary.
JoAnne Kosey’s first mention of incidents surrounding this tragedy were the words looting and vandalism. This is disgraceful, ignorant and dangerous. Her silence about the protest and protesters speaks volumes and we hear her loud and clear.
Probably the most offensive part of this opinion was her comment “I get it.” No JoAnne, you don’t. We hope that you will one day recognize that offering an opinion that is two thirds commentary on getting a sandwich/using your own driveway and then giving an empty and incomplete overview of what is happening around is in fact a huge part of the problem.
We also have concerns regarding the coverage of this topic overall. We suggest that this is a time for the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark to amplify the voices of those that are truly impacted by the devastation of police brutality and racial violence in this country and in our neighborhoods.
We suggest that the headline “One shot dead, widespread looting during a day of rage” is an example of sensationalism at its worst and ignites the fires of fear and violence in our communities.
We suggest that this is a time to report on the demands of the protesters and amplify their message of Black Lives Matter. We insist that the Landmark states George Floyd’s name and not refer to him as “Minneapolis man.”
We suggest this is a time to hear from our local leaders to understand their vision for continuing to build a system that serves all of us.
Mary Schepler and family
Brookfield
