To the editor:

When faced with issues involving government officials, it is painstakingly clear that the impulsive response is for that person to resign, no matter how much they have done to make a difference.

As addressed in “Leaders demand governor’s resignation” by Saffeya Ahmed, Georgia Geen and Owen FitzGerald in the Suffolk News-Herald (Feb. 5), Gov. Ralph Northam is now a target of the ever-growing resignation pool of officials.

The argument surrounding his resignation is solid based off the account of his multiple story changes, which went from admitting the picture was morally wrong, to denying that it was him at all. Despite the 1984 yearbook picture’s racist nature and debate on whether the picture involves the governor, he should not be forced to resign.

People are quick to define Ralph Northam by a picture from his 1984 yearbook yet refuse to commend him for all the good he has done within the community. Ralph Northam has extended Medicaid to thousands of uninsured Virginians, pushed for improvement in public education, specifically in generally African-American neighborhoods, and his pastor is even African-American.

As a community, we should work to keep people like Northam in office, not force them out over a 1984 yearbook picture from a time of being young and thoughtless.

 

Brianna Kosko

Suffolk