To the editor:

In America, we have to press “1” to speak English on the phone.

In America, the homeless go without food and shelter.

In America, the elderly go without needed medicine.

In America, the mentally ill go without treatment.

In America, our troops go without equipment.

In America, our veterans go without promised benefits and face losing more.

Yet we donate billions of dollars to other countries before helping our own.

Depression, anxiety and panic attacks are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of having tried to remain strong for too long. One in three of us go through this at some point in our lives.

Let those who struggled and are still struggling know that they are not alone.

Our city, state and federal lawmakers need to start working for the people, instead of thinking about themselves. When they run for office and want your vote, they promise you the world. Once elected, they forget all about the people who put them in office.

Most of them just want to skin-and-grin in front of a camera to look good, but they do nothing.

People here in Suffolk have seen enough of this, of officials working for the chosen few and on behalf of certain areas of the city. Elected officials need to start doing their jobs and working for everyone in order to make things better.

The people in all parts of this city deserve to be treated the same as those in all the other parts.

Citizens of Suffolk are not living in the Stone Age or in the days of slavery. We are living in 2014, soon to be 2015. It’s time for city leaders to shape up and start working.

Bernard M. Wright Sr.

Suffolk