Letters

A comment or two from my point of view in response to Carlos Sandoval’s column, “The Ballot and the Boogeyman” [Vistas, Opinion, November 11].

Initially, Mr. Sandoval calls himself a “pluralist” in an attempt to set up his views as so moderate, who could argue with them? In fact, I also consider myself a person interested in contrasting points of view so as to be better able to make an educated analysis. Unfortunately, for most of us, progressives view any argument from the right as hate speech and refuse to teach or debate it in any meaningful way. So much for that argument.

The next concept put forth is the “boogeyman” theme that wants to seduce the reader into believing critical race theory is a harmless way to acquaint the uneducated among us with our racist history.

History is not the issue here. Context is. Acknowledgment of America’s racial past, without doubt, is information every generation must be made familiar with. Indeed, the history of every age has its elements of brutality and shameful conduct that have, by their example, informed and educated us on how not to treat our fellow man.

Our children are exposed to a great deal of history in their public schools. Frankly, I’m not sure how much of it sticks with them. But critical race theory is not so much a history lesson as it is a political indoctrination. It is a theoretical framework, rooted in Marxism, proposing that individuals are oppressed or the oppressor, based on their skin color. The authors of this doctrine would use race as the platform to subvert an asleep America whose children were being converted right under their noses into America haters who could be manipulated .

The Marxists need a wedge issue to divide the country and undermine conventional authority to accomplish the revolutionary upheaval they desired to install their authoritarian model. We can see it every day under assault on campus and online.

Don’t let Mr. Sandoval’s innocuous argument fool you. Yes, racism must be confronted and rooted out. Americans loving their freedom as they do will continue to do the right thing in teaching their children that everyone should have equal access to the potential that America offers its people, white, brown, yellow or Black. Critical race theory is best understood as a Trojan horse.

Mike Anthony, my Westhampton neighbor, always seems to get his letters published while I have to beg. In his recent letter [“Best Days Are Ahead,” Letters, November 11], he argues that the Virginia election of a conservative governor was the result of a propaganda campaign of disinformation. Hardly. It was an awakening by parents during COVID home education as to what was being taught and how. That cow has left the barn.

Ed Surgan

Westhampton