Letters: Columbia protest march served no good purpose

Why didn’t the people who participated in the July 10 march in Columbia march when the single (white) mother was murdered in the bakery by several black men? Why didn’t they march when the (white) student was shot and paralyzed by a black gunman in Five Points? These incidents happened in our own city, not in cities hundreds or thousands of miles away. Is this black racism?

History has shown us too many times how mobs can be incited by inflammatory rhetoric, although the original intent may have been peaceful. What purpose did trying to close down the interstate serve? I am so fortunate to live in a community with wonderful blacks, whites and Hispanics. We chose not to get involved with this march.

People are scared. How much better the marchers’ purpose would have been served had they sat down and held some meaningful dialogue rather than marching, yelling and carrying signs. Respect and appreciate each other: It’s really not hard to do.