To the Editor:

Well, it’s official! Yes, I live in Emmaus but I now realize I live in a different universe.

For the past several weeks I have read about how bad the people are in Emmaus with comments about racism, the KKK and other criticisms. But it is now obvious to me that I must live in a bubble since my opinion of Emmaus is totally different.

I see friendly people saying hello to each other. I see local businesses struggling to pay the bills and doing the best they can. At the local Turkey Hill the other day, I being a white man opened the door for a black man. He was very thankful and asked how my day was going so far. On the way out, a black woman held the door open for me because my hands were carrying coffee. I promptly thanked her and she said “Anytime.” So, my question is this? Where are all these racist and derogatory things happening? I’m sorry, I just don’t see it.

In my personal opinion, for the past several months, people in order to make themselves feel better about themselves and portray themselves better than others are jumping on the bandwagon with all these protests to say “It’s not me, it’s those other evil people. I’m a good person.” They love to put signs in their yard that say “Hate doesn’t live here.” Well hate doesn’t live in my house either but I don’t need a sign to tell everybody.

In addition, nobody has yet been able to define Systematic Racism to me. The last time I looked, a black person could vote, live where he wants, work where he wants, freely travel anywhere he wants, drive any car he wants, practice his religion of choice, go to any college he wants, eat at any restaurant he wants, and believe it or not, we even had a black president for eight years! Those are all the same opportunities that I have as a white man.

Ok, ok, I know there will always be people on both sides who are a little off the Bell Curve, but they are very, very, very, very few in number. So, let me suggest we all take a deep breath, take a step back and really take a look at what’s going on. I am very sure, no I’m positively sure it is not even NEAR as bad as some people are portraying it to be. May God Bless America (we could certainly use it).

James Knerr

Emmaus