I read the letter from Bruce St. Peter making light of the import of the Black Lives Matter movement (“Where are we headed?,” Aug. 2). In truth, I am not African American nor a member of any minority, and I am very grateful for the tremendous advantages I have had as a white person throughout my life.
I have read enough to be aware of the fact that our country’s elevated economic position has a basis in the enslavement and oppression of people brought to our country from 1619 on to serve as slaves to enrich their masters and our country until this evil practice was ended by the courageous action of our 16th president. It takes only a modicum of knowledge about our history and a bit of empathy for others to feel a great deal of gratitude for our good fortune, and to avoid making nonsensical analogies between hypothetical animal issues and authentic movements that are aimed at righting the past wrongs that are the basis for so much of the high quality of life that many of us enjoy now.
That there are so many folks responsible for our good fortune who do not share this quality of life is a glaring shortcoming of our society, and only an ordinary amount of human empathy guides one to respect and support efforts to rectify that.
I hope the answer to the question about where we are headed as a country is that we are moving toward a fairer, more equitable sharing of our socioeconomic blessings.
ANDREW DAUBENSPECK
Lebanon
Donald B. Perron ends his Forum submission (“We’re forgetting where we came from,” Aug. 2) with a quote by Carl Sandburg: “If she (America) forgets where she came from, if the people lose sight of what brought them along, if she listens to the deniers and mockers, then will begin the rot and dissolution.”
I would highly recommend that we parse this further.
We came from across the ocean to a land already inhabited by the Indigenous people who lived here. After our arrival, instead of uniting with these people and trying to create a new, melded society, we proceeded to kill as many of them as we could with violence and disease and then herded them onto reservations of land we deemed of no use to us.
Then, needing help to run our plantations and build our roads and railroads, we set sail to another land across the ocean in quest of kidnapping other human beings for the purpose of making them slaves to do our bidding.
So yes, let’s remember where we came from and try to understand that these marketing symbols that some think are so benign have a whole different meaning to the people they are fashioned after.
I would strongly suggest that fans of Washington’s NFL football team find another team in the NFC East to root for. Like maybe the New York Football Giants, for example.
JOHN LANZA
Sharon
I was shocked to read the comments by Donald B. Perron in the Forum (“We’re forgetting where we came from,” Aug. 2). I was also shocked that the Valley News published them.
The “wonderful” brand logos on the butter, rice and syrup that Perron mentioned are a part of our history — a part that needs to be corrected due to the blatant racism that allowed this to happen.
By the way, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was a traitor to the United States. He graduated from West Point and he promised to protect the Constitution. Instead he led an army that slaughtered the Union soldiers who were defending it.
Additionally, Christopher Columbus was responsible for the deaths and enslavement of hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people.
Those who don’t understand this should read a book and get over their racist selves. I am not talking about “cancel culture.” I am talking about the necessity of educating ourselves to the blatant wrongs of our past.
JIM CONTOIS
Claremont
Our country is being ravaged by intolerance, which is primarily political, and the two sides have almost no common ground other than the ground we inhabit. Rather than declaring our allegiance to our team of choice, can we find any middle ground?
I believe I have found a subject that most of us will agree on, and it has the potential to restore our government to the people: Term limits.
After two terms, all elected federal officials must step down. New blood and fresh ideas will be welcome. Is there any way we can get this idea on the ballot for all of us to decide?
The second idea is incredibly simple: Why do members of the opposing parties sit on opposite sides of the aisle? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have them sit next to each other — Republican, then Democrat, then Republican?
In this way, they could share ideas and possibly develop an understanding of each other’s ideas. It is my opinion that we agree on much more than we disagree. Our cups are more than half full.
ARTHUR J. PISTEY
Canaan
Forum contributor Diana Watson (“Mask orders destroying our republic,” July 26) and others who dislike masks should remember: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And even President Donald Trump now says it’s the patriotic thing to do.
SALLY PRINCE
New London