Letters: We’re all responsible for Kelly Thomas

Re “Law may be Thomas legacy,” Column, Jan. 22

Thanks to Steve Lopez for addressing the ills of our society and not merely the symptoms. The death of homeless man Kelly Thomas in 2011 after a violent assault by police officers, and the subsequent acquittal of two of those officers, remind us of a larger context in which we are all players.

After reading Lopez’s thorough examination of the problems that feed tragic outcomes like this one, I am reminded of my deceased brother and my son who, because of disease and disability, were often relegated to the margins of society.

Lopez reminds us of personal and societal irresponsibility that contribute to an atmosphere in which the weak are violated rather than protected by the law. We should all reflect on this as we lament the lack of accountability for the officers who beat Thomas.

A good dose of compassion is certainly something our society could use these days.

Mary Di Meglio Messier

Santa Barbara

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