Anthony Gallegos: Sun-Star should show more diversity on its pages

On Feb. 16. I submitted a letter to the editor regarding the pictures printed in the Sun-Star in advertisements for the Memories II book. As more pictures appeared, I noticed the faces were all white. I wrote in my letter that Columbus had sailed on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria – not the Mayflower – indicating the Spanish were here first.

Then I saw a picture of the Le Grande High School basketball team. Every face was white! If you take a drive through Le Grande, you’ll see mostly brown faces! Merced is also very diverse, we see all colors of people; yet the Memories book shows mostly white faces.

After I submitted the original letter a week went by without appearing in the Sun Star. I had written that racial division in this country is alive and well, so I thought this might be the reason the letter was not printed.

I called the publisher of the Sun-Star twice. I finally heard from Opinions Page editor Mike Dunbar, who insisted the Sun Star never received my original letter, even though the Sun-Star’s computer thanked me for submitting it.

Editor’s note: The Sun-Star posts letters to the editor to www.mercedsunstar.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor as quickly as practical, usually within one day. We print letters as space allows.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Anthony Gallegos: Sun-Star should show more diversity on its pages."