‘Letter to the Editor’ Archives
Letter to the Editor: Frank reflections
by Frank Erickson The Letter to the Editor, “Omissions and distortions abound in libraries, too,” by Berman Sanford in The Alley Newspaper February 2019 is an admirable undertaking; to have things listed at libraries under a heading that truly represents what they were. Berman, who is a member of the American Library Association, uses the example of trying to search any library catalog under the subject of “Native American Genocide” and you will be unsuccessful. Yet, he falls into his own trap when he brings up “World War II” and he does not use quotation marks when referencing the “war.” Just as Berman states, “history is euphemistically masked, hidden, under subjects like Choctaw Indians””Relocation,” but so is the case with “war.” Murder is masked and hidden under the title of “war.” Now in libraries and schools all over the Western world, people are reading about the 2003 attack on [...]
Omissions and distortions abound in libraries, too
To the Editor: by SANFORD BERMAN Much recent reporting and editorializing has concerned the removal of racist public monuments, changing objectionable names (like Lake Calhoun and Lindbergh Terminal in the Twin Cities), and the enshrinement of colonialism in galleries and museums. Never mentioned is the alarming and pervasive fact that libraries, too, often misrepresent, overlook, and even defame marginalized, exploited, indigenous, and ostracized communities. Try searching almost any school, public, or academic library catalog under the subject ”Native American Holocaust” (or “Native American Genocide”). You”'ll find nothing. It will seem as if the library either owns nothing on that topic or that such an event or experience never happened. Why? Because nearly all libraries rely totally on the Library of Congress (LC) to create subject headings. And LC has thus far failed to recognize the 1492-1900 Indian tragedy by [...]
Letter to the Editor Separating children from parents? “This is exactly who we are!”
BY DONNA NESTE I have been glued to MSNBC, writing letters, and emails to the Justice Dept., Homeland Security, the White House, and calling lawmakers in Washington; since the horrendous, immoral and, frankly, evil Trump policy was put in place; of separating children from their parents at the southern border. While watching this unbelievable darkness descend upon our nation (again) and unfold on cable television, I heard the talking heads say time and time again, “This is not who we are.” Really? This is exactly who we are. We have a history of separating children from their parents. We did it during our nation”'s “original sin,” slavery. We separated Native American children from their parents and put them in boarding schools. Stealing their land was not enough, we also had to steal their children. We imprisoned Japanese American families during World War II and we turned away a cruise ship, the St. Louis, with hundreds of Jewish people from our [...]
