To the Editor:

“Freedom, freedom is a hard won thing and every generation has to win it again.” This is a refrain from a civil rights song from the sixties. My generation marched, staged sit-ins, spoke out and some even died to achieve rights for minorities, women and future generations of Americans. 

Today we are old folks. We who fought so hard are tired, and what do we see happening? Young people are sitting on the sidelines while the voting rights, civil rights and women rights we fought and sacrificed for seem to be slipping away. Many of us are putting on our orthopedic shoes and marching again. We look around and see very few youthful faces. 

When the older generation of activists dies away, will hard-won gains in voting and civil rights disappear with us? Will this young generation be contented living in a world where elections are bought for the benefit of the few? Do they care if their voting rights are suppressed?

Past gains in minority and women’s rights are being eroded. Is this the future the younger generation wants to live in? Who will be left to carry freedom’s torch when we are gone?

Margery Abel

Franklin