DEAR EDITOR:

The police spokesperson describing the murderer of six Asian-American women and eight individuals in total sent an alarming and despicable message by minimizing the brutality.

Describing this crime as a person having a “very bad day” and giving credence to the perpetrators own words is sickening. Just because this person surrendered peacefully and justified his actions blaming his deviancy then blaming the victims as essentially the cause of his rampage is disgusting.

I wonder if the official police spokesman will take the time to learn and pronounce these victims’ Asian names.

We were barraged on an almost daily basis during the Trump presidency with mocking, berating hateful rhetoric toward fellow citizens who are not Caucasian. Hate crimes have ballooned into now intolerable numbers. The haters, bigots, white supremacists need to be driven back into their holes and a lid placed over the holes.

Shame on the officials who minimize and refuse to recognize our white privilege. I fervently hope we have a national awakening and reckoning that we invited a diverse nation (even if motives were dishonorable). Now let us live in peace and harmony with it!

KATHLEEN BERRY

Youngstown