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I am born and raised in South Central PA. One of our city police officers was suspended after he reenacted the events of George Floyd's death in jest at a cocktail party. The charges were dropped when our mayor decided the city couldn't afford the legal fees to pursue prosecution. The officer was back on duty with back pay within weeks.

When I was in middle school, a latinx classmate of mine was wrapped in a confederate flag and slashed with razors, and left under the bleachers at a football game.

In another instance, a rival school with many players of color came for a basketball game and were met with lugies and slurs.

Racism is alive and well in these rural towns in the North. In our small town there are signs that say "MAGA Country," "Stop the Steal," "Trump 2024," "Let's go Brandon," and "Fuck Biden" on houses everywhere. Along with confederate flags, don't tread on me flags and Trump flags. People also fly them on the backs of their lifted pickup trucks.

I am so grateful for your voice, for your piercing clarity, and for the way you manage the negativity and hate that you have to sift and move through to do your work.

I am often afraid, living here. I'm afraid for my kids and for the people down the street flying the Bi flag. I'm afraid for my elderly friends who had the Ukraine flag cut off their garage and their Biden signs stolen from their yard. I desperately need hope and an elevated perspective, and you offer me that regularly.

I hope you are healing well from dental surgery, and may your work and life overflow with blessings.

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Apr 13, 2023Liked by Father Nathan Monk

Thank you. This opened my eyes to a lot. I'll be keeping it in mind.

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Apr 13, 2023·edited Apr 13, 2023Liked by Father Nathan Monk

This is so on point...everyone needs to read/understand this! I was born and raised in the Rust belt but migrated to the South when I went back to college in '98 and have been here in the Carolinas ever since. It took me a good number of years to break myself of the knee-jerk thinking the South as a backward cesspool. Now I wouldn't live anywhere else. I have spent last 15 years speaking with and/or visiting many around the country for ongoing social research projects. In all my travels and interactions across the country my favorite are the small southern rural towns/counties/parishes. I was in Tennessee one trip last year, maybe I'll make it back that way this year!

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Apr 13, 2023Liked by Father Nathan Monk

Almost 12 years in rural Indiana showed me that racism is as rampant in the northern/midwest states as it is anywhere. I've lived in Texas and Georgia for the last 17 years now and lived in Texas most of my life before the stint in Indiana. I grew up with friends of all races, but couldn't find diversity in the north. I

Thank you, Father Nathan, for being part of the fight, as well.

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