Letter: Rawls’ editorial criticism does a disservice to readers

Allan D Silberman
Palencia, Florida

Your recent editorial condemning Rev. Ron Rawls and his ministry of education conveys your own bigotry and racist orientation.

Like many others who criticize an individual and their advocacy but are unable to substantively explain their opposition, you have resorted to character assassination to cover your own malice toward people of color.

You also do Historic City News readers a disservice when you criticize Rev. Rawls for citing Rev. Martin Luther King in his advocacy for civil justice for black residents of St. Augustine.

You owe it to those residents to remind them that it was that same cause for racial justice that brought Rev. King to St. Augustine in 1964 to march with black citizens to protest the city’s history of discrimination and racial injustice.

The recent demonstrations for equality and justice around the country are awakening the soul of the nation to honor the commitment that all Americans have a birthright to share in the promise of this great nation.

As people of goodwill begin to come together to remedy a long history of injustice, I hope St. Augustine will be among those communities working on that effort.