Kudos to Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross for taking the opportunity to confront the opposition and make the case that thousands have marched in the streets to support (”Sharply criticized, Gross defends meeting with Barr,” Page A1, June 19). Gross recognizes something that many of our politicians, many on our college campuses, and countless people in general do not: If you spend your life ignoring or attacking anyone who disagrees with you, then you have lowered the hope or the chance to change this world for the better.
I am not saying this is easy, and Gross knows how difficult it is. Just because you don’t like someone or you disagree with their beliefs, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to engage. Tip O’Neill, Ted Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan all talked and listened to the other side of arguments and worked to try to improve our world. I am so sad that we seem to have lost this ability as we drop our approach and attitude to the lowest levels of human decency.
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Thomas J. DeSimone
Swampscott
The attorney general of the United States comes to town and meets privately with the Boston Police commissioner to discuss race and police relations, and the Globe’s front-page headline is “Sharply criticized, Gross defends meeting with Barr”? The horrified comments from local politicians make it sound as if the ghost of Charles Manson had paid a visit. The police commissioner has to “defend” this meeting?
Is the Globe trying to demonize Attorney General William Barr to lay the ground for dismissal of an upcoming report from the special prosecutor appointed to investigate the origins of the whole “Russian collusion” investigation?
Brian R. Merrick
West Barnstable
I was disgusted to see Boston Police Commissioner William Gross standing and smiling next to Attorney General William Barr in Friday’s Globe. Barr has proved to be an enabler to President Trump and seems perfectly willing to ignore the Constitution to make Trump happy and secure. The image of Gross and Barr smiling together like buddies will make wonderful propaganda for the Trump campaign in the months to come.
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Linda Cooley
Sharon