Dear Editor:

In reference to the letter appearing in the Sept. 1 edition of the Powell Tribune, I am not sure what agenda the letter writer fears. I only know that racism and discrimination continue to exist, perhaps not in blatant ways and yet other times in headline-grabbing incidents. Maybe our country has come a long, long way, but certainly not very quickly.

Lincoln freed the slaves, but Jim Crow laws continued an insidious form of slavery. The separate but equal mythology existed for far too long. The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

People of color, of different ethnicities, come to our country, but the reception we provide often is not welcoming. Some Native Americans live in poverty and hopelessness in their own land.

It seems as if some people are feared simply because they are different. I might lash out too if I experienced being left behind because of the color of my skin, my religion, or ethnicity.

The term white privilege is something that is all too real. As a white person, it has taken until now for me to really grasp it. I am trying to learn more about the inequities of the past and present, of my own biases, and will continue to do so.

I applaud Stefani Hicswa for her statements. I doubt they were politically motivated. It appears to me that she is trying to assure prospective students that they will be treated fairly. If that’s an agenda, so be it.

Respectfully,

Edie Phillips

Cody