Bottom of the barrel
Our nation came together in the ‘60s to expose the KKK for the bigoted, hateful organization it always was, and booted it to the curb, where it had belonged for the longest time. The harm and pain it caused for decades had no place in a nation that held dearly to the belief in equal rights for all its citizens.
For those who lived during that period, who supported the equal rights for all their friends, neighbors and fellow citizens, it brought an specially good feeling, deep in side a person’s very being in seeing the dispatch of that organization. That feeling has stayed deeply imbedded as the rightness of doing something that a person with good character would do to better their country they loved so dearly.
We have had to watch the Republican Party bring a revived and just as slimy, bigoted organization, now labeled the CCC, Clown Car Clan, back to life for this nation and into the world’s view once again. The two co-chairs, Trump and Cruz of the Clown Car, have brought shame and embarrassment with their low-grade views and comments that are broadcast around the World to offer a disgusting impression that a large percent of our citizens have retained those views and practices of the KKK organization and its members of the past.
Even as their performances have divided many in their own party, the party itself has stated it will support either one of them if they win in this year’s primary elections. It shows just how desperate the Republican Party has become, pushed by the Koch brothers, to win back power to change our laws and return our way of life back to the so called good old days of Reagan and his trickle down economy has taken the American Dream of the middle class away, maybe for good, and at least for decades.
At 73 years old, the things I miss most about the good old days are those enjoyable things that profit and greed have taken away from our everyday enjoyment of life in general. Sadly we have little really affordable health care, affordable and cutting edge education, retirement programs, union representation, livable incomes, especially for the poorest. Add the time we spent enjoying our families and instilling values in them instead of just working mind and body numbing hours providing a meager living for them.
I can only hope that our nation’s citizens have not been so dumbed down to not understand the magnitude of the damage this modern day CCC organization’s rhetoric and values have done and would do to this nation we love so much.
Jim Hall, Clearlake Oaks
Even more fair
Mr. Moton’s letter (Racism, 1/23) intrigued me, but it seems to me that he overlooked or ignored a major example of what he was taking about — prison population.
As far as I can see, recent history has shown the appropriate minority community either incapable or unable to reduce the crime rate within their group. If people want to move the population more in line with the nation, perhaps they should consider encouraging poor and underprivileged Caucasians to commit crimes, be caught and be incarcerated.
Result might well be a more balanced population and better healthcare, better diet, and a more healthy life style than they had before committing their crime!
Guff Worth, Lakeport
Ability and opportunity
I read Charles Moton’s letter (RB 1-23) with some skepticism. It appears he is confusing ability with opportunity. Of the tens of thousands of college students playing basketball and football, etc., only the ones showing the best abilities are picked to play professional sports. (Note: Recent figures in MLB show Black players at 8.5 percent of total players).
This ability differs from the opportunity to be a head or assistant coach, or an Academy Award nominee. ‘In order to submit a film for nomination, a movie’s producer or distributor must sign and submit an Official Screen Credits in early December.’ This is how you get on a ballot to become a nominee.
I wonder how many producers or distributors are black? This is opportunity. Head coaches are picked by the owners or by someone/group assigned by the owner. How many black owners are there? This is opportunity. Not allowing ability means your team will fail and you will slowly fade away. Not allowing opportunity is racism.
Kevin Bracken, Kelseyville
