Twenty-one years ago, our daughter was adopted from China. Over the next decade, we adopted and fostered children from around the world and the U.S. (Cambodia, Haiti and an African-American son from Chicago).

We had no fears of racism. Our neighbors in this great state of Maine were gracious and supportive of our family. Freeport offered a close-knit community that embraced our children.

A few weeks ago, our children woke up to this quote from our governor: “The enemy right now … are people of color.” He was speaking within the context of the drug problem in Maine.

My middle school son is reading the book “Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy,” a historical fiction based upon the century-ago true event of removing the residents of Malaga Island in the New Meadows River.

Many of the 40 residents were African-American or biracial; some were placed in institutions. Their community was destroyed. This was an act of racism with a lust for real estate and the most shameful act by an elected official in Maine, one that many wish to forget.

Now we are faced with the promise of racism from our governor. My family has never felt so unsafe. We do not understand how we have found ourselves here.

Each child is accomplished in academics, music, sports and theater, and they volunteer in their community. They have contributed to this state in positive ways, more than our governor. These children deserve better.

We are demanding that you resign, Gov. LePage. You are unfit to remain in this position and are harmful to our state. This is the only way to look toward our children’s future. Otherwise, we will sadly return to Malaga Island.

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The time is always right to do right.” Governor, this is what’s right.

Robin Monahan

Freeport