Letters to the Editor
Allene Swienckowski
Published Letters: 191 Editor's Choice: 10
-
"Too Painful to Believe"
[Read the article: The painful task of measuring racism]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The idea that people will vote for a candidate based on the color of their skin is a painful one, but the reality is worse.
Reasonable balck people have been stating the obvious for years about the state of race realtions in this country but no credible white journalist wanted to echo those sentiments.
Yesterday, Salon ran an article about how doctors perceive and treat their minority patients. We, meaning black and white Americans, see the effects of racism in our lives everyday but a lot more than 15% of whites who harbor some type of active or inactive racism against blacks is alive and well. If we look at the pattern of unequal justice that still permeates our "just us" legal system that begins with police officers and ends in sentencing guidelines, then you might begin to ascertain just how large the divide is.
For blacks, whether mixed race or whole, measuring racism isn't just painful, it's a daily dose of squashed hopes and dreams despite Oprah's fame and fortune.
-
Race, Walsh, Wright and a Little Bit Obama
[Read the article: Why Jeremiah Wright is so wrong]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Well, one thing is for sure - you shoose to comment about issues that bring in the letters! I wonder if you had the time to sit down and talk to, sorry I mean with, Jeremiah Wright you'd wlak away with the same impressions you exposed in your piece? It seems as if that race dialogue that should happen between blacks and whites won't happen because we can't hear what's acutally being said. The words that Wright spoke were English but Walsh didn't hear what the man was saying. Myabe it might have helped if she had been black or maybe half black to have heard what the minister was trying to explain to a white nation that has almost always closed its mind to black dialogue unless during a time of crisis - say a riot in the streets by angry blacks. And the reaction of the white media and a whole lot of white people is always the same: "Why? Why are they so angry?"
I'd like to know why Walsh believes that Wright is so wrong for recounting the atricities that our country is so notorious for perpetrating against other nations and peoples? Why does she think that it is so unusal for a man of God to talk about retribution for sins committed and not atoned for?
How can blacks and whites speak the same language and still not understand one another? It's simple: everyone goes into every discussion with their blinders on - no one really wants to hear the truth because once your hear it you have to do something about injustice. But America isn't ready to deal with injustice much less face the truth about itself.
Race is obviously a hot button issue, as demonstrated by the number of letters this oiece has generated, but no one, not even Ms. Walsh want to take the dialogue to a place where people might find a common ground to speak to one another. It's still about"how misguided the right reverend Wright is and if he's really trying to sabotage Obama's political quest."
Give my old, tired black butt a break!
-
Obama vs. Wright
[Read the article: What should Obama do about Rev. Jeremiah Wright?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It was so freshing to read at least two respondsents who recommended that Obama turn the media back towards the real issues that are affecting every American that isn't a member of the top 1%. After this election, no one in the media will even remember the name Jeremiah Wright. The medi embraces agendas to simply beat the other media person to the punch. It's not about really presenting valuable information that people can use to make informed decisions.
The one reported that spoke about the 90% white journalists and wondered if they were going to get the message that Wright delivered hit on a true axiom - blacks are still viewed as alien by even the so-called liberal MSM. The only way that Jeremiah Wright could receive a scintilla of respect from this media is for him to apologize heartily for exposing the underbelly of racism that still exists in our country and not preach that there true equality doens't exist.
I used to think as a yoing woman that my children would have more chances because all people in American society were changing. I find that the racism of both races, black and white, will one day tear this country apart because no one on either side wants to really start a true dialogue. For the media, racism is the kindling necessary to ensure a decent bonfire. For the people who live with racism, it's a daunting and soul-wrenching world where maybe your dreams and your children's dreams will be delayed.
-
The process of writing...
[Read the article: Writing is in my blood, but how do I know if I'm any good?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You are a gentle and kind man. May your words stain our landscape and dreams with the wisdom you pull from your soul!