To the Editor:

Black Lives Matter so why not make Black Lives Better?

Before the pandemic, the United States economy was the best in the world and unemployment for all minorities was the lowest in U.S. history.

For the past three months, millions of African Americans have been receiving unemployment checks and not “welfare” checks as their “jobs” were shut down because of the pandemic.

Recent prison reform was achieved by the president’s leadership and Congress passing the “First Step Act,” releasing people from prison to give them another chance and opportunity to rejoin society.  Benefiting the most were minorities who make up over 50 percent of the nationwide prison population.  Let’s not forget those responsible for uplifting the economy and prison reform.

Black lives do not matter if you have no hope, you have no job, or are hopelessly on welfare, in prison, or shot in Chicago, but I digress.  

Marching about in the Hilltowns for BLM might make you feel better but, if you really want to make Black Lives Better, get out of your sandboxes in November and support those who have actually have made Black Lives Better.

Our work is not finished. We have just begun. That’s how you make Black Lives Matter!

Ed Cowley

Altamont