While I regret giving your messages any more amplification than they deserve, I feel I must respond to your recent letter about Critical Race Theory and “cancel culture.”
You state “CRG expected criticism, but the level of venom was astounding and demonstrates that the fear many citizens are experiencing is well-founded.”
Personally, what I find astounding is that instead of trying to understand why your leaflets are received so badly, you just call your critics “attackers” and “cancel culture.” The fact is, you are trying to cancel a culture of diversity and inclusion; block a greater worldview from entering our classrooms; attack any action in town that might move Easton out of your bubble. So whose fear are you talking about, exactly?
You bring up Ron DeSantis as a stand-up guy for banning Critical Race Theory. Absurd. He has a well-documented history of offensive and/or outright racist statements. Please refer to this article, written during his campaign for governor – a race he won by less than a half-percent, fewer than 35,000 votes, and only after a machine recount. No mandate there.
https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/eight-times-ron-desantis-did-racist-stuff-by-accident-10687534
In addition, your interpretation of CRT is astoundingly narrow. As described in the long-respected publication Time Magazine, CRT is a “commitment to examine how laws and systems uphold and perpetuate inequality for traditionally marginalized groups.” By teaching CRT, we can look at history through a different lens, and look to the future in a more equitable, inclusive way.
According to Minister and activist Bernice King, a daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. (whose views you seem to hold dear), “there is no teaching on the horrors and myriad of monstrous manifestations of white supremacy and racism that will be palatable to white supremacists and racists.” Your solution: CRT vilifies white people. We must not talk about it.
https://time.com/5891138/critical-race-theory-explained/
I’m also astounded by your cavalier use of “cancel culture.” To quote The Nation, which is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States, complaints of “cancel culture” by conservatives “are laughable concerns from those who tried to cancel millions of Black people’s votes in the last presidential election, and whose party is now cranking out literally hundreds of voter suppression laws to cancel Black people’s voting rights.” https://www.thenation.com/article/society/republicans-cancel-culture-kaepernick/
And I must say to Sherry: you have often shared photos of your multiracial family (most recently in February and March of this year). Yet you call Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion “offensive and dangerous ideas.” I wonder if your children of color have ever experienced any bias, bigotry, racism, or prejudice?
For me, I agree with a recent letter sent to the Courier from Christ Church, which stated in part: “It takes willful indifference in today’s world not to acknowledge the rampant and harmful impact of racism in the lives of our Black, Asian, Latina, and Native American neighbors.”
So go ahead. Continue informing Easton on what you believe to be the important issues in our town. Just don’t be astounded when hundreds of Eastonites disagree with what you deem to be important, and vote against your positions.
Debbi Barer
19-year Easton resident
