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What do we owe black men?
So, we don’t owe the black man anything? We don’t owe him anything because we only see blackness when he walks through the door? We don’t owe him anything when his little boys will grow up to live in our jails? We don’t owe him anything when he can only hope his son will live to be an adult? When black on black crime is only his problem? When his son’s access to college is more difficult if not impossible? When some police in our communities target him? When we don’t have black teachers to teach our black children? When his DNA is covered in the centuries-old blood of hangings and explosions and beatings?
We don’t owe him anything when Bernie Sanders, who calls himself a socialist, leaves him out of the conversation? When Hillary Clinton does not mention racism as an ingrained evil in our society, pulling us all down? When no Republican candidate talks about black lives?
When the Supreme Court reverses almost everything that historically has been done to improve his life: reversing basic tenants of the Voting Rights Act, allowing voting laws that discriminate against the poor and the elderly, failing to correct the problems of district gerrymandering, and destroying affirmative action? When the trickle-down of Reaganomics emblazes a larger path to poverty for the already disenfranchised?
When his history is ingrained in that which we do not want to discuss? We don’t owe him anything when we are too ignorant to understand that black lives really do matter? And when we live under the delusion that our whiteness grants us power?
JOHN GHERTNER
Wayne Action for Racial Equality
Praise for RPO’s upcoming season
I think next year’s concert schedule, like this year’s, presents an appealing, thoughtful balance of familiar and less familiar music. I am especially pleased with two selections: Ron Nelson’s “Savannah River Holiday” and the “Prelude and Quadruple Fugue” by Alan Hovhaness. Both had their premiere performances in Rochester, in the 50’s, at the American Composers’ Concerts.
Quite a good number of American orchestral works had their first performances here. Now the orchestra will have a chance to blow the dust off of some good music that’s not played that much anymore and to shed light on a fascinating bit of local history as well. Our music director should be commended for bringing us such exciting, creative programming initiatives.
DAVID BYRNE
Beethoven 7 is one of my favorite pieces of workout music. The fourth movement gets you going on the treadmill or rowing machine! Just when you need it!
ELIZABETH RICE
I am so excited for the new season. Ward Stare is an amazing conductor!
PATTY SAYERS PATTERSON
The real reason Duffy left Albany?
Bob Duffy was on the Dem ticket to deliver Upstate votes, which he did. I’d bet Duffy saw the Moreland Commission train wreck coming and decided to bail out. I can’t blame him. Besides, I don’t think Bob Duffy bought in to the liberal Cuomo agenda.
BART
This article appears in Feb 17-23, 2016.
“tenants of the Voting Rights Act”
wow
I’m trying to comment on the carousel story on page 4 of this week’s publication bur the website has been showing a ‘404 website error’ since Wednesday. Suspiciously, comments were closed, with no explanation, the last time you wrote a story on this. At the end of the print article it says “Post your comment” but you don’t seem to want comments. Is this too controversial for you? If so, don’t write about it in the first place.
If you really want comments on this here is mine: If some people are offended by the carousel image and want it removed, then everyone should be able to look at all of the images and request the removal of any and all that are offensive to them. Why should just a few people decide what is offensive?
Bart:
The carousel story was pulled because it contained incorrect information. The story said that the Rochester Museum and Science Center would take the original panel and house it if the Preservation Board approved the request. But there has been no decision made on what to do with the original panel. The city would like the community’s input before making any decisions about the panel’s future. We are sorry for the error.
Tim Louis Macaluso
Staff Writer
City Newspaper
Thanks for the explanation.
The community need to look at and comment on ALL of the carousel panels, not just the single panel that a few people are offended by.