African-American Family Receives Racist Letter Telling Them To Move Out Of Neighborhood

An African-American family living in Lindenhurst, New York, received a racist letter in their mailbox telling them to leave the neighborhood and move to a place “where there are more people like you,” according to WPIX.

Ronica Copes, 37, said her daughter found the racist letter in their mailbox last Thursday.

“You don’t belong here!!! Please leave Lindenhurst as soon as you can. It will be better for all of us. Lindenhurst is 84 percent white population you don’t belong here.”

The husband, Darcell Copes, said it angered him, and then he became afraid based on what the note said.

“The anger was there, the hurt was there, and then, of course, fear.”

The community has rallied around the Copes family and offered them overwhelming support. One little girl in the neighborhood delivered flowers to the family.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone responded to the sender of the anonymous racist note.

“To the coward who committed a hate crime against an innocent family in Lindenhurst, there is no place for intolerance in Suffolk County. I know the Suffolk County Police Department will do everything possible to solve this hate crime, out you and see you punished.”

The mayors and other elected officials of Lindenhurst and Babylon also responded to the letter writer.

“The best way to fight bias is with solidarity and we stand with all of our residents in declaring that there is no place for this type of intolerance and hatred in the Village of Lindenhurst, the Town of Babylon, or anywhere in our community. We are, and always will be, a strong diverse community that does not cede ground to hostility, ignorance, or hatred, wherever it may appear.”

The Copes family spoke out on WABC to the letter writer.

“Sometimes you have a preconceived idea of how a person is just because you don’t know them. You don’t know how they live, you don’t know what they believe. I’ll continue to pray for you and you need to get out and meet people.”

The Suffolk County Hate Crime Unit is now investigating the letter. The first step is that the letter has been sent off for fingerprinting. The police also went throughout the neighborhood, questioning the neighbors.

Ronica says she is thankful for the support her family has received from the neighbors.

“Thank you all for sharing your frustrations, opinions, suggestions, and concerns! Will keep you abreast of the outcome.”

This is baffling to the family, because Ronica said they have been living in the neighborhood for long time without any trouble from anyone.

[Image via Facebook]