MLK service was good start; when is next meeting?

To the editor:

Hats off to those who organized the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. community service. I had no idea of the injustices suffered by our black community when Cape Girardeau schools were integrated in 1954, nor of the lingering feelings holding us back from becoming a truly inclusive community. There is a need to face the truth of our history and to apologize and seek forgiveness. I too apologize for my lack of sensitivity to the experiences of my black brothers and sisters.

Overall, I will work for justice, seek common ground and opportunities to bridge our differences. I will work toward building a community that celebrates our spiritual oneness and the beauty of our God-given diversity, where no one is "less-than."

But apart from individual efforts, how will we, working together, put teeth into a renewed commitment to community? The first step has been taken. Well done. Now it's time to get down to brass tacks and follow through with specific actions to unite our city. What would King do? When's the next meeting?

JOY BELL

Cape Girardeau