Attacks Against Black Churches

“Black Churches Have Long Been Targets” (June 15) gives the impression that the recent amount of burnings of black churches is not unusual. Numerous examples of past behavior in the South are used to make the case in point.

Why has the government spent more money and more time protecting Atlanta? The answers are clear: money for the Olympic sponsors, our society not wanting the world to focus on our dirty laundry in racial matters, and the lack of political will to address the roots of the continuing problem. Our Southern president finally came to the dance after the number of incidents became intolerable, impacting his potential for reelection. Leaders of the party of President Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, are silent, which is normal for them. Candidate Bob Dole is busy protecting the biggest crop in the South, the killer tobacco industry. Ask Brett Butler if tobacco should be regulated in baseball, our national pastime.

Compare the costs of securing the Olympic Games with the cost of determining how to protect black churches and ending discrimination in our time. It’s no contest! The Reform Party and the Green Party may find some unusual support in November.

BOB WINET

Santa Monica

Hate groups have always burned crosses. Now, they’ve advanced to burning the whole church.

GARY DAVIS

Culver City

Some whites are helping to rebuild. Wonderful!

But in the meantime, the white Christians could invite the blacks into their churches.

KATHLEEN M. MAYNARD

San Jacinto

Re “Finding the Light in the Church Bombs,” Commentary, June 13: It is time for all people of conscience to speak out against racial hatred, against name-calling and against the putting of churches to flame.

We live in a democracy. We should be proud that we do. Let us speak out and work, I mean really work, for justice for all persons.

JEAN M. NICHOLSON