Whenever I hear people use the phrase: “People of Color” – especially when it is used in a sentence when someone is being targeted or victimized, I cringe. I need you to be more specific as to who you consider people of color. You can go to different people, and they may name a specific ethnic group or different variety of ethnic groups. Maybe their origin of birth, but I need to know specifically who you consider “People of Color”.

As I was growing up, I never heard that phrase, now it is being tossed around when it is politically advantageous. I know in the past, there were a lot of people of color (Blacks, African-American, Colored…) were treated unfairly, especially when it came to have longer prison terms for minor infractions compared to other groups.

My concerns right now are the continuation of victimizing people of color as if they have no say. I have a hard time with this, especially when it comes to people saying that showing an ID to vote is being discriminatory. In that case, they should not ask for an ID when you open up a bank account, purchase liquor or cigarettes. Even in some banks to make a deposit of cash, I need to show an ID. When I went to buy a new cell phone, I was asked to show ID. No one has a problem showing an ID in these instances. But for me, when it comes to voting, you need to show ID. I want to show that no one is voting in my place. If ID’s were not required, what would stop someone from going to a polling place, and vote under someone else’s name?”

A long time ago, sometimes I would work the polls in South Plainfield, and I was not familiar with the voters, so I would not be able to identify them anyway. As a matter of fact, there was a poll of people across the board of voting age and 57.3% of the people said they have no problem showing an ID at the polls. (Out of 600 New Yorkers – December 18, 2021, from Politifact.com).

When I was growing up, I don’t remember any of my elders talking about being oppressed when they were trying to vote in New Jersey. Something else that bothers me are when people say because of the color of your skin, you have a strike against you automatically.

I want to recommend a book which I recommend be on the reading list across the board. “The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Remick Hunt (2002).

Another book I recommend is Klan-destined Relationships: A Black Man’s Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan by Daryl Davis (2005). One of Daryl Davis’s quotes is, “How can you hate me if don’t even know me?” During the years, Davis was able to convince over 300 Klansmen denounce and leave the organization. He would do this by engaging them in conversation and through music. You could read more about Davis through Wikipedia and at the website www.ted.com where there are various speakers talk on different subjects.

I am inspired by people of all different ages and backgrounds because sometimes you may have more in common with others who you may view as different from you. C.M.