Letter to Editor : "Reverse Racism Rebuttal

            I am writing you in response to "Racism is absurd but reverse racism is ok?" by Brittany Spornhauer. I feel like this Opinions article was written with gross neglect. First off, I feel like Ms. Spornhauer chose to write her article with "old race" politics meant to insight fear and anger by using the classic examples of "Black vs. White" on the topic of "racism", as if Latino and Asian populations do not even exist. It is not surprising that she only used Black organizations as a scapegoat since Blacks, especially African-Americans, have been told throughout history it is wrong for them to appreciate their very own culture, remember their history and in fact have no history to begin with.

            Unfortunately you also published an article that accused organizations and events of "racism" without any actual examples of how these organizations participated in activities that excluded or held one race as superior than others. Ms. Spornhauer's only examples were their names and mission statements, which yes, clearly stated their interest in Black people and Black culture but did not demean, stereotype nor mention that non-Blacks were not to be included. What a slap to Dr. Derby's face who actually marched for Civil Rights of all people during the Civil Rights Era. It's so sad that Ms. Spornhauer was allowed to accuse the Black Film Festival of racism when the best comedy awarded was "The Unstoppable Edwina Chambers" whose main character was a blonde hair, blue-eyed White woman played by actress Kelly Francis Hager (and the film wasn't even about race or white people oppressing others).

               Organizations that are "culture specific" only mean to preserve shared language and cultural traditions amongst people who value the tradition or who wish to share in the experience. They also aim to eradicate negative social behaviors and patterns within their community by using shared language, shared cultural traditions and cultural figures within the group that many people based on language, race, ethnicity and nationality may be familiar with.

It is also no surprise that while Ms. Spornhauer finds it wrong for groups to organize under the banner of culture, she doesn't protest the idea of women organizing. Aren't men just as important in society as women? Why should there even be an organization dedicated to the social status and health of women? Using her logic shouldn't there just be a "Nation Council for Human Rights?" But even with her own privilege, whatever that may be, she likely realizes how important it is for women to create their own organizations because of issues that are quite specific to women and negatively affect women disproportionately in comparison to men.

            The people who run organizations dedicated to women feel that these issues cannot afford to be an issue only focused on "50 percent" of the time and receive "only a percentage of funding" in the larger-focused group since women live their lives as women 100 percent of the time. Despite history proving over and over again that public policy often affects demographics differently when categorized by race/culture and people even acknowledging that there are differences in cultures when it comes to traditions and values.