Thank you to vigil attendees
Dear Editor:
We want to thank the local folks who attended our Rangely vigil for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. While we could list many more victims of systemic and systematic racism, these three served as representatives of a larger problem in our country. The purpose of our time was to express solidarity with those who are hurting. We read and listened to Black voices. It was not meant as a political statement or an event “against” police and first responders, as we communicated to the Rangely Police Department. Breonna Taylor herself served as a dedicated first responder.
In the face of unfounded rumors regarding our June 16, 2020 vigil, we were outnumbered by other local people reacting in anger, staging a “protest” of the vigil when we never intended such a dichotomy to exist. Racism affects each one of us, and our goal in the vigil was to foster broader conversation. It has been encouraging to hear from others who have expressed desire to grow in empathy toward people of color whose experiences differ from the average Rangely resident, and from those who want to know more about what “white privilege” actually means (in broad strokes, it doesn’t mean a white person’s life is necessarily easy, just that for the vast majority of white people it hasn’t been hard because of the color of our skin). These are difficult, soul-searching kinds of conversations.
Is Rangely strong enough to have hard or uncomfortable conversations about race? We think Rangely can. We think Rangely should.
Julie Noyes & Peter Forbes
Rangely
Let’s move on the best we can
Dear Editor:
This feeling I am having goes out to everyone that was involved in our little town of Meeker, Colorado’s 4th of July celebration!
I, the owner of Red Rooster Sandwich Shop, got a post sent from someone from out of town that we were not wearing masks and it was basically not OK… in a nut shell! Did you come in and wear your masks to protect us?
We have been following the rules to the best that we can. But with guidelines in place in so many of our towns/cities in Colorado…..has everyone been following the rules? Our small businesses in town depend on this great celebration of our country to help us survive. Did our guests wear the proper masks and stay socially distant? Didn’t see it during the parade, bank robbery reenactment, fireworks? I did not see nor feel that same respect.
I would not put my staff in harm’s way if we did not follow the rules the best that we have could have considering the situation. I hope and pray that we did not put our little town in a place where it did not need to be.
Let’s not blame each other if we have an outbreak and please let’s continue to support each other in these crazy times. We chose to open up and have to for survival. Let’s get our town back to where we can appreciate guests, where we can appreciate having a fun bar to go to, appreciate going to meet friends at any of our restaurants, appreciate our wonderful grocery store and other small businesses.
Another thank you goes to Chippers and the Holliday’s for stepping up a few months ago and supporting some of the local restaurants with donations sent in during their virtual concerts. That is what we do here!
With all that being said… let’s just get past all this “stuff” and move on the best we can!
Love for all people in Meeker and as always, glad I can call this home.
Cindy S. Nelson
Meeker
