‘Letter to the Editor’ Archives
Letter to the Editor: Stop demonizing Ilhan and let it be a lesson learned
by Dean Zimmerman South Africa had a policy of Apartheid. Lots of people boycotted, marched and protested what was going on in South Africa. South African Officials were chosen in a democracy ”“ well, a democracy for whites, not Colored, Blacks or Indians. Nobody ever said you are anti-South African for protesting this. Mississippi had a policy of Jim Crow. Lots of people boycotted, marched and protested what was going on in Mississippi. Mississippi officials were chosen in a democracy ”“ well a democracy for whites, not Blacks. Nobody ever said you are anti-Mississippian for protesting this.  Israel is a country which embraces, for lack of a better word, apartheid; it is even complete with a wall. But to point this out, to boycott or protest is somehow anti-Semitic. America is so racist that to protest racism, such as not standing for the National Anthem, is equated with protesting against America itself. And it seems, that to protest against [...]
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 [...]
