Editor,

When I read the letter to the editor by Richard Ays in the July Whidbey News-Times, I was shocked that you chose to print it. His wrote, “The DNC doesn’t want Biden to be president, they want his running mate. If Biden fails, they have an African-American female idiot in power.”

An “African American idiot?” Seriously? Whidbey News Times, Do you feel OK printing a statement like that? You may say it’s his opinion, but it was a naked expression of racism and racism is not an opinion. It’s a hateful excuse for the discrimination against and the abuse of whole groups of people.

To get rid of racism, we need first identify it, and call it out when we see it. And so I am calling out Mr. Ays, for his demeaning racist comment, and calling out the News Times for printing it. I hope that the Times will not providing a platform for racist speech in the future. If so, I no longer be subscribing.

Christine Laing

Coupeville