Our commonality

Feb 3, 2023
Feb 3, 2023 Updated Apr 13, 2025
11

Editor,

Amen to the Rev. Lorrie Owens’ Feb. 1 guest perspective on Black History Month in which she decries the “traditional Anglo version of American History.”

(11) comments

Dirk van Ulden Feb 3, 2023 7:54am

Jim - Bingo!

Jorg Feb 3, 2023 10:33am

Jim: So, when were white, straight men, like me, ever “marginalized”, at the same time period and under same conditions as others?

willallen Feb 3, 2023 11:02am

She used the term "Anglo." I think our past history was dominated by WASP values carried over from England. Time to look at other ethnic experiences. Now that you bring it up, however, please look at the history of the draft. Selective service is selective servitude. Women do not have to register. .

Ray Fowler Feb 3, 2023 12:53pm

Check 17th and 18th century indentured servitude and slavery in the British colonies then Irish immigrants to the US during the first half of the 19th century. "The Grapes of Wrath" provides a fictionalized account of marginalized migrant farm workers in the 1930s.

Dirk van Ulden Feb 3, 2023 3:29pm

Jorg - for example, try living in parts of Oakland, some places south of the border and Chicago, China and Japan. You mentioned "were", the Reverend is still talking about 2023.

Jorg Feb 3, 2023 3:43pm

Dirk: And someone like me would be "marginalized", - compared to whom, under the same conditions?

Ray Fowler Feb 3, 2023 4:29pm

Check indentured servants, the Irish, and Okies mentioned above...

Jorg Feb 3, 2023 4:45pm

Ray: OK, but has anyone been as marginalized as a group as colored people have? This looks to me like an effort to minimize the struggle some groups of people have endured through the ages, while people like “me” have had a clear advantage all along.

Ray Fowler Feb 3, 2023 5:14pm

Jorg

You asked for examples and I gave you some. Let's keep the focus on Black history as suggested in Rev. Owens op-ed piece from Wednesday.

willallen Feb 3, 2023 5:26pm

It is not a contest.

Jorg Feb 3, 2023 5:39pm

Ray: Yes! I agree, but that's what this LTE writer tried to minimize, by referring to "everybody", more or less. That's what I objected to, like you did as well.

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