To the editor:

In light of the recent protest events in Brown County I have more questions than answers.

First, who pays for the ancillary costs with these protests? No one works for free. Who paid for law enforcement, the Indiana National Guard and others to work the rally that at the most was attended by 40 people? Whom do I contact when my newly formed group, Friends of the Lake Monroe Whales, wants to meet at the corner of 135 and Route 46, and block traffic? Will it be free, or do only ‘special people’ get free security?

Finally I ask has there been clear concrete and discernible facts of racism in Brown County by the merchants? Have there been any formal complaints about this behavior investigated or is this all ‘Well I heard’ type of gossip?

I have been around for nearly 60 years in the Brown County area and have found that for the most part the Subaru/Hyundai driving, Birkenstock clad town people are generally friendly. The scolding Wuhan Flu Karens not withstanding of course.

Finally, a recent column about flags has me thinking. Can I go up to people flying a Purdue flag on their car and tell them that I find that offensive? Should I talk to the person flying the Blue Lives matter in honor of the 110 officers who have died this year and tell him that the flag honors those who oppress persons of color? I have met that guy. Nice enough person, but he will absolutely tell you in no uncertain terms what you can do with your opinion, using the language of Army Creole to explain to you his position.

If the Brown County Democrat columnist was so concerned, as in her recent column, about her nephews concerns over seeing a Confederate flag being flown on private property she should have turned that into a teaching moment. Asking her nephews what caused the Civil War? What party wanted the civil war and what party fought to end the civil war? She could also discuss with them what party brought the power of the federal government in after the Civil War to protect the rights of all. Considering the over 100 homicides in Indianapolis this year, I would think that she would be more worried about their safety from catching lead than I would about some person flying a flag. But that would not have met her agenda.

Remember what George Santayana said: “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Mark Medlyn, Helmsburg

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