DEAR EDITOR:

Every day on the news you’ll hear Black Lives Matter based on inequitable treatment; homelessness increasing in the U.S.; hunger creating hardship, especially for the young; unemployment hitting many families hard; LGBTQ+ fighting for equal treatment; and the current everyday warning, COVID-19 hitting every state hard, the worst to come.

I just don’t see it. I don’t see the problem. Must be the liberal news just wanting to cause controversy; wanting to point the finger at the other side and show that they are not addressing these concerns, But again, I don’t see the problem. I haven’t been affected by any of those so called “Liberal Identified Alarms.”

Then again, I’m not black, I have a great home here in the Valley. I’m enjoying my retirement life via my middle class pension. I probably eat a little too much — must have that late-night snack. I am not affiliated with the LGBTQ+ segment, and I haven’t experienced any health concerns with this so-called COVID-19 scare. I wonder if, no, that can’t be the reason I don’t recognize these problems, is it?

It is easy, much too easy to ignore valid problems that don’t affect you. The question is “Why do we or is it OK to ignore those problems in which you, based on your social status, just haven’t experienced any ill effect?”

The truth is, even if problems exist, it is proven to be a true social concern, safety, health or economic concern, yet you are not directly affected by those. It will at some time indirectly affect you personally. Many of the aforementioned concerns will have an impact on you in ways you may not immediately see: your day-to-day activity, your travels, your economic position or your immediate family or future family.

As Americans, we pride ourselves or should often be, as hard as it is to accept, “our brother’s keeper.” That brotherhood goes beyond blood relationships.

Too often we ignore these concerns and expect our elected officials to handle them. If, like me, you believe in our democracy, you believe in the Constitution, I would like to point out the most important three words in that document, “We the people.”

To me, these words make it clear that here in this great nation, the United States of America, the people are the foundation and driving force of the government. Your, our actions create change and support our democratic government, which is highly respected in the world. Let’s not lose that respect. God bless America.

JOHN P. LESEGANICH

Canfield