Standing at Route 202 and Route 101 intersection for the past three years and 11 months has not been about taking rights away from white people, rather to have equal rights for Black and other people of color.

Last Saturday, in the first half hour of the vigil, one man had eight pointed middle fingers thrust his way. People yell "All Lives Matter" as if we diminish their rights in the process of drawing attention to this issue since 1619. Yes, all lives matter, and we certainly are not standing there to fight to lose our rights. 

We are recognizing the distinction of not equal rights for everyone. Yelling against sign-holders is the outward demonstration of what is happening across this country of rights disappearing for all of us. This is not a political issue, but a human issue. 

Three Saturdays ago, another truck deliberately blew heavy black exhaust smoke right at the woman standing solo there at the light. It was physical assault by a man against a woman, a man too weak to stand nose-to-nose with someone and solve a problem. We also had a man yell from a truck then jump out of his truck in the traffic line, pick up a Black Lives Matter sign and proceed to slam it onto the median strip. We get the yells for Trump, but what does that have to do with our signs?

It appears that people are frustrated with us and yelling, holding up negative fingers and blowing black exhaust are their civilized means of confronting us. Why not stop and ask to set up a conference time so we can all sit together and have a meaningful discussion?

Kath Allen

Peterborough