E Scott Cracraft: Embracing the true meaning of being 'woke'

To The Daily Sun,

Some people love to put labels on people they do not like. Progressives get labeled by conservatives as liberal, radical, communist, socialist, Marxist and even “snowflakes”.

I don’t care if people want to use labels, but many seem not to know what those labels really mean. This shows an ignorance of political ideology. Those labels have specific meanings.

Now, I like the new appellation for people of my persuasion: “woke.” I thought about it a lot and I like it.

If “woke” means “woke up,” “awakened,” or even “enlightened,” I plead guilty to being “woke.” I “woke” up from the “American Dream” and realized that while I love my country and think it is good, it could be better. Many “woke” people “woke” up to the fact, that we are not the “greatest country” when it comes to caring for our citizens and our attempts to dominate the world.

We “woke” up to fact that neoliberal economic policies and tax breaks for the rich do not create jobs. These policies do not cause the wealth to “trickle down.” They only make the super-rich wealthier and have destroyed the American middle class.

If "woke" means “enlightened,” I plead guilty as well. My socio-political positions are thought through carefully and are based on verifiable information. I say this with all humility but perhaps the Right is correct; perhaps educators are more liberal for no other reason that we have had more education and training is critical thinking.

Because of this, teachers and professors have become the scapegoats for everything wrong with the country. Maybe they consider educators to be dangerous because they are “woke” and teach critical thinking?

E. Scott Cracraft

Gilford