(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

TO THE EDITOR,

As both a former East Somerville resident and a retired police officer with over 27 years of service, I was appalled at the sight of seeing city workers unfurling a #BlackLivesMatter banner across Somerville City Hall. Why is it deemed okay to display a political poster on a public building?

The Black Lives crowd are pushing hate and inciting violence. This is not an expression of serious debate in this country. Marching to divide America is plain insulting. Marching and chatting that police officers should be called pigs and then screaming “fry ‘em like bacon” is not public discourse, it is inciting violence.

I believe black lives matter, white lives matter, all lives matter and finally police lives matter too. The recent assassination out in Harris County, Texas not far from Houston of a deputy sheriff pumping gas into his cruiser is just the latest cop shooting in this country going back to last December when two NYPD officers were ambushed while sitting in their cruiser.

We need public leaders in this nation standing up for the law and defending those who serve and protect. We don’t need politicians playing games and being politically correct.

The banner hanging on Somerville City Hall is both a disgrace and an insult to all the men and women of the Somerville Police Department and police officers nationwide.
The mayor ought to be ashamed of his actions.

Sincerely,
Sergeant SAL GIARRATANI (ret)
Special State Police Officer
D.M.H. Police Dept. Boston