March 4, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Jan Lowry recently shared her outrage about gerrymandering.
Given her sensitivity, how do I explain her silence when her party’s leader demanded and got gerrymandering in Texas, to cancel black and brown representation? Maybe I missed an earlier letter. I hope the heinous “far left,” to blame for most everything, didn’t intercept it?
I imagine her heart bursts when her party’s leader brutally and illegally deports American citizens, even children. How, she might ask, is that legal? I’m sure she tingles when reading where the Constitution reads clear as day “no person” shall be denied due process — not no citizens. Deporting illegals without due process is clearly unconstitutional, and I’m waiting for her to address that.
ICE was supposed to protect us from the “worst of the worst.” Does she know that instead they’re deporting Hispanics keeping appointments scheduled by Immigration? People here legally? Breaking into homes without a warrant? Ignoring court orders? People are being deported to Africa is a topic for a heated letter she might send.
Maybe she’s missed reports ICE is now surrogate parenting in Texas hundreds of brown children 4-5 years old they’ve taken from parents. Surely, her long silence is part of a deeper plan to condemn such inhumanity.
With her family name being of Scottish, Irish or English origin, I expect she knows about racist discrimination in 19th century America, the Irish depicted in cartoons as apes, alongside Black Americans portrayed as apes, in case the insult wasn’t clear. The message was the Irish weren’t really white. Signs were more direct: “No Irish need apply.”
Real principle will be demonstrated when Ms. Lowry condemns in uncompromising terms the poster of the most recent ape cartoon.
JOE PETITE Rockbridge County
