Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com.
I am a Portland resident who loves and supports local journalism. I am writing to express my disappointment in the edited speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that was printed last week by the Bangor Daily News and on past anniversaries as well. I know that many people in the community, especially our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) residents have also reached out about the flagrant editing of his speech. I implore you to listen to our fellow neighbors and understand why it is harmful to publish the speech in the ways that you have.
Maine has some great activists and organizations (Maine People’s Alliance, who happens to have a location in the city of Bangor) who continue to advocate for the rights of the BIPOC community and they can be a great resource to understand and learn from this experience.
Michelle Brosseau
Portland