Accurate history education is essential
According to staff reports by the Southern Poverty Law Center, “The current wave of state legislature efforts to censor inclusive education and accurate history proves the urgent need to understand and learn from our nation’s past.” Clearly, political, social, racial and economic equality has yet, after four centuries, to be realized.”
In fact, the increasing drum beat of MAGA is to make America hate again and return to the Jim Crow era of white privilege and intimidation.
It is said that if you do not know history you may repeat it; so, unless we want to repeat the sins of the past, we must educate citizens about the past either in school or by other media. The desire to know and learn will conquer the censorship of printed material because there will always be a thirst to learn the truth.
The SPLC released a helpful publication to teach high school students about Black Americans’ struggle for equality. If you want the next generation to be informed, support the initiative.
As an octogenarian having lived during the continuing struggle for civil rights, I am in shock when younger people are shocked at the true, actual American history and its oppression of so many. They can not believe the discrimination. Accurate history is essential.
Choice Edwards Clermont
Aid to Israel should be diverted to local problems
According to the website notmytaxdollars.org, Orlando’s share of the money sent to Israel is over $4 million. Not My Tax Dollars lists what that money could do for Orlando residents. We could provide low-income housing for over 500 families, for example. This is extremely relevant in today’s political climate as the governor just signed legislation that basically outlaws homelessness.
With so many having a NIMBY (not in my backyard) philosophy towards shelters in their neighborhoods, why are my tax dollars being sent to assist Israel against Gaza? Why aren’t we as community members asking to lift these people up and get them the hand up that is so needed? Rents are skyrocketing daily and more will end up homeless while we have no resources to care for them.
Too many want to ignore even more socially responsible programs and agencies that assist people, like Lynx and SunRail. We want people to be able to care for themselves, but create too many roadblocks and make that an impossibility.
I believe we should get our local and state leaders on board, stop falling for the fear-mongering and care for those in our own backyards. If we continue to shut our eyes to the suffering here and in Gaza, more people will suffer. We must, for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Gaza, say no more aid to Israel. Bring that money back to our city and help our neighbors locally to achieve their best lives, in whatever way is needed.
Jennifer Dotson Deltona
Descended from immigrants
With all the hostility aimed at immigrants by some politicians and a large segment of the political right, it’s important to remind them of a fact.
Every man, woman and child in the United States is either an immigrant, the son or daughter of immigrants, or is descended from immigrants. There are no exceptions.
Everyone’s people came here from somewhere else. The only difference is that some came earlier than others.
Fred Muenz Delray Beach
