It is regrettable that the mayor of Lewiston has managed to alienate many of those he is meant to serve by appearing to imply that certain cultures are superior to others.

In uttering the words “accept our culture and leave your culture at the door,” he conveys a sense of “us and them.” Robert Macdonald would do well to remember that the core values of America’s Founding Fathers were part of a culture that came from elsewhere.

The United States of America has benefited enormously from successive generations of settlers, including those from the Horn of Africa, who have brought their own skills, passions and positivity.

It is essential that civic leaders work assiduously to foster and strengthen communal understanding.

Mark Jones, London, executive director

Horn of Africa Business Association, London