I want to respond to James Weathersby’s letter (Aug. 8), “The long silence about racism is what breeds suspicion.”

I must preface this letter with an acknowledgment of Lyndon Baines Johnson, who in 1965 not only created the Medicare/Medicaid system, but also managed to get Congress to approve the Civil Rights Act, which he then signed.

With that being said, I find that throughout our sordid history many injustices have occurred, and not only to blacks. First and foremost, let’s discuss the plight of the Native Americans, who befriended white Europeans when they landed here. How did they repay his kindness? They slaughtered many and then interned them in reservations located on land they once owned. Just ask them how they are doing now? Living like prisoners and seeing mascots defaming them.

Racism is not the root cause of living a life not up to par with others. Poverty is the real cause, and it doesn’t discriminate between blacks and whites. Many whites grow up in ghettos and struggle day-to-day without any help, just as many blacks do.

Until President Johnson came along, many blacks and whites never had a chance. But thanks to him and, of course, John F. Kennedy, things started to pick up for them. But not for Native Americans, the original owners of this great land that they cherished and did not destroy environmentally like we are doing now.

I must remind Weathersby that racism is just another word for distrust.

Frank D. Slason

Somerville

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