Systemic racism won’t go away because we refuse to examine it. More work is required | Opinion
We can’t turn a blind eye to racism
It isn’t easy for people to admit that systemic racism exits in American society. Yet we fought a civil war over the right of Americans to own and profit from the labor of slaves imported from Africa. That war ended less than 160 years ago.
I believe the collective mental block stems primarily from two things: First, people don’t understand what “systemic” means; and second, people feel that admitting its existence is somehow a rebuke to them personally. Another problem that exists in some regions of the nation is state-imposed amnesia — think Florida.
All this sturm and drang over diversity, equity and inclusion, the imagined insidiousness of “intersectionality,” the indoctrination of secondary school children to hate their white race, is at best a distraction from the serious issue of systemic racism, and at worst, an outright and organized attack on freedom of thought and expression.
Turning a blind eye to injustice is in effect collaborating with its perpetuation; with the public policies, private practices and institutional systems that build and sustain disparities in opportunities and outcomes. Turning a blind eye to history blinds us to why things are as they are, and risks us returning to a darker past.
Richard Badalamente, Kennewick
MAGA mob is running the GOP
Former President Trump is a mobster and MAGA is his mob. The mob has heavily infiltrated the GOP. Not all Republican legislators are enthusiastic participants but all Republican representatives (including Reps. Newhouse and McMorris Rodgers) and most Republican senators are under its control by threats to their seats and personal security.
The mob punishes good faith negotiation and bipartisan votes by Republicans, so problems go unaddressed. Bringing the country to the brink of shutdown is now routine. The mob’s disinformation network convinces many voters that things are terrible and liberals and immigrants are at fault. Republicans tend to benefit at the polls from voter anger and apathy even though they are the party that blocks solutions.
GOP disinformation is bad for emotional health and leads to poor choices in behavior and voting. The Herald, in my opinion, tries and usually succeeds in sticking to the truth. Digital subscribers can access more articles from all viewpoints in the Extra section than most have time to read. Knowledge is power. It’s also healthy.
Greg Carl, Richland
House GOP killed border security
Republicans insisted that military aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan would not be passed until a more restrictive immigration bill was included as a part of this package.
A bipartisan immigration bill was then prepared and supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Border Patrol. To obtain military aid for our allies, President Biden agreed to sign this bill, although he did not agree with some of the conservative priorities it contained.
When sent to the House, House GOP Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, refused to bring it up for a vote. He then nixed a military aid bill to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan without improved border security and suggested that President Biden could provide this by executive order. If successful, our president will be criticized for that effort also.
Trump clearly favors the authoritarian government of Russia over the Ukraine. Before and after his election, Trump blathered about “building a wall” and “having Mexico pay for it,” but accomplished neither; nor was any legislation on border security developed during his presidency.
Because of Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans, the border continues to be insecure and military aid to our allies continues to be blocked.
Bill Petrie, Richland
