Charles Ajootian: Americans must discuss, learn from all aspects of American history

To The Daily Sun,

America was founded on racism. For proof, look first at the stunning hypocrisy contained in The Declaration of Independence. “All Men are Created Equal” was, in most of the American Colonies, treated as a joke – “wink-wink, nod- nod, it will never apply to African-Americans” most whites said. And for the next century and beyond, Thomas Jefferson and people who looked like him continued to own and brutalize their fellow human beings on the basis of the color of their skin.

For more proof, look at the U.S. Constitution. Enacted 11 years after the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution declared that persons of color were 3/5 human. Nowhere in the Constitution of 1787 is there any mention of equality.

But here’s what whites must realize: there is not a white alive today who bears any responsibility at all for America’s original sin. Not one bit of responsibility. The perpetrators died a long time ago. But when whites today attempt to “whitewash” American history, they are responsible for dividing America and impeding the healing that can only occur through truth and reconciliation. When whites today attempt to criminalize the full and complete discussion of American history, then they are guilty of perpetuating the original sin of racism. When white Americans today insist that laws must be passed to ensure that whites must never be made to feel “uncomfortable,” they are guilty of exercising invidious white privilege and supremacy.

Whites have to realize that no one is saying that they have to embrace and love all of American history. And no one is saying that whites have to love what I have written here. Dissent is allowed in America. It is legal and lawful for whites to love only certain parts of American History. But Conservative Whites must allow the rest of America to discuss and learn from all aspects of American history — even the parts that white Conservatives don’t like.

Charles Ajootian

Alexandria