Councilor Benzan says, "We know that structural and institutional racism are real." Who are "we?" How does he know what others know? Benzan asserts "we know [. . .] that rates of poverty are tied to rates of violence." All poor people are violent criminals? Is that classism? He suggests "creating more opportunities for our residents of all ages." What people in Cambridge are prevented from opportunities? Benzan refers to a "culture of violence that plagues our neighborhoods." Which neighborhoods? When change ends "violence in our community forever," will police and courts become irrelevant?
[From letter]
We know that structural and institutional racism are real, and that rates of poverty are tied to rates of violence. But in addition to addressing these issues and creating more opportunities for our residents of all ages, we must also transform the culture of violence that plagues our neighborhoods – a cultural predicated on a fundamental lack of respect for human life.
Only when we create opportunities for our youth, address structural inequalities, and attack the culture of violence simultaneously will we be able to create the change we need to end violence in our community forever.
http://cambridge.wickedlocal.com/article/20150817/NEWS/150817159
LETTER: Cooperate with Cambridge police to help bring justice to Area Four murder
Posted Aug. 17, 2015 at 11:59 AM
Updated at 12:04 PM
To the editor:
Dennis Benzan, Cambridge vice mayor
Cambridge Chronicle
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