We can’t let national events affect how we deal with each other

A Camden football coach knelt for the National Anthem, then the New York Giants players started debating how they should make a statement like other teams are doing. Protests are continuing in North Carolina over another fatal police shooting, which is what the kneeling for the National Anthem protesting against. We must remember two things.

Number one: none of us know all the facts and some media outlets will slant whatever comes out to suit their needs. We need to balance everything we hear and there needs to be transparency from all sides with no agendas.

Number two: it shouldn't slant how you deal personally with police or people of a color that is not the same as yours. The people that you see everyday, all over New Jersey.

People are people and there is good and bad in all races and professions. If there is bad, then let's sort it out quickly since these demonstrations and protests have shown us we don't have time to wait

Now is not the time to paint in broad strokes. When you form your opinions think of the friends you have on both sides and your personal encounters with each one of them. Life is about relationships and how we deal with each other on a one to one basis.

Change is an individual thing and it starts with how we treat each other. I have said before that we can't fight a civil war as well as a war on terror. Remember it was the Linden Police who brought a terrorist to justice Monday.

Maybe if we just work on our one to one relationships we may not have to fight either.

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