Althea Dunscombe: Conversations about eradicating racism must start at home

To The Daily Sun,

Dec. 22, and 70 percent of the letters to the editor are about Rep. Dawn Johnson. I have heard a great deal about “racism” and that “America is essentially a racist country.” I was raised to believe we were all equal and skin color was never a consideration for those I associated with. I thought these were good things until it was brought to my attention this summer that by not seeing “skin color” I was a racist! For those of you who also might feel confused I suggest you read this new book, "Racism and anti-Racism in the World: before and after 1945" by Kathleen Brush.

America became the first nation to establish an anti-racist legal system, the first nation with a private sector demonstrably committed to anti-racism and remains at the fore of demonstrably anti-racist nations. America is the only nation to fight a civil war to free slaves although slavery has by no means been ended in this world.

The most racist countries in the world include China, Iran, Liberia, and North Korea. They see real value in homogenous societies, ordered societies and privileged and unprivileged people; that is how they maintain control. We have read about “re-education” camps in China. Could they be somewhat analogous to the “training sessions” commonplace now in all walks of our lives?

America has more laws than any other country regarding discrimination. Our government has the power to end discrimination but not the power to stop parents, journalists, commentators, teachers and different leaders that purposely or inadvertently teach and reinforce discrimination. They cannot address perceptions of discrimination that deviate from reality, cannot force integration, cannot cancel history, cannot stop people from saying mean things, are unsuited to address unconscious discrimination and cannot enforce what you can and cannot think. JFK put it best; “this must start in our homes.”

Integration stands alone as the one proven way multicultural nations can successfully build national identities that end discrimination and deliver equality of opportunity. Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Asian Americans and Indian Americans are a testament to the power of integration.

Self-segregation as we are seeing in our communities, college campuses, etc. diminishes opportunities, places priorities on preserving differences, is not conducive for building equitable multicultural states and while it may be comfortable and it may reduce perceptions of discrimination, it does not create safer communities, better schools, improved educational outcomes or create a foundation for better economic opportunities. If the goal is equality of opportunity, self-segregation does not work.

This book is a thought provoking read with hundreds of footnoted facts. As JFK said this must start in our homes, with us – we cannot legislate it and I hope we don’t have to fight for it again.

Althea Dunscombe

Center Harbor