[Michlib-l] Fw: Combatting Hate Via Your Library

[Catalfio, Maria]

I think there is a critical misunderstanding about the purpose of combating hate "especially in white communities". It is not about blame and guilt - it's about learning and coming to fair terms with the ugly, brutal history of slavery and the current manifestations of racism. As a white person, I'm not looking to combat hate because I feel individually guilty or to blame (though others may judge me any way they wish) - I want every member of our society to really understand and find a way to reconcile with a history of racism that we have obviously not been willing to do as a nation. I offer these comments in a spirit of moving the discussion beyond individual resentments and toward a much bigger picture. We can't afford to wait until a cross is burning in a community to address this. We can offer kind and compassionate paths in a dialogue that is long overdue. I appreciate that these resources are available

________________________________
From: michlib-l-bounces at mcls.org <michlib-l-bounces at mcls.org> on behalf of Hope Nobel <lvwdirector at llcoop.org>
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2017 10:19:46 AM
To: kruley at uproc.lib.mi.us; michlib-l at mcls.org
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Fw: Combatting Hate Via Your Library

Karyn -
Thank you for taking the time to express your views.  I agree that the YALSA
statement makes an offensive assumption, and that this type of reverse
prejudice is harmful.
All we can do as libraries is promote understanding, kindness, and open
dialogue wherever possible.  And really, that's quite a lot, isn't it?!?
Happy eclipse day, everyone!
Hope E. Nobel, M.S.L.S.
Director
Tamarack District Library
P. O. Box 469
832 South Lincoln Avenue
Lakeview, MI  48850
989.352.6274

-----Original Message-----
From: michlib-l-bounces at mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces at mcls.org] On
Behalf Of Karyn Ruley
Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2017 2:16 PM
To: michlib-l at mcls.org
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Fw: Combatting Hate Via Your Library

"As a reminder, YALSA has resources to help you support youth, especially
those who may be feeling the brunt of current events.  In addition, YALSA
has resources to help you promote empathy and understanding among teens,
especially those in predominantly white communities who need to build global
citizenship skills to be successful adults in the 21st century."

  I find it incredibly offensive that it is assumed that those in
"predominantly white communities" would "especially" need more help in
building "global citizenship skills". While there are, and always will be,
problems with prejudice in this world, many problems these days are made up,
overblown, or attributed only to those with light colored skin.
Racism and prejudice are ugly but go BOTH ways, or ALL ways. And it is JUST
as ugly to assume someone has these prejudices. The blame needs to stop, the
guilt needs to stop, and we need to stop dividing ourselves by making things
more of an issue than they are. We will never achieve colorblindness when we
keep bringing up color.

  If this is an ACTUAL issue in your particular community, then by all
means, have a discussion. But that is an individual community issue, not
something all libraries need to be involved in, if libraries need to be
involved in them at all. I do not need organizations like YALSA to teach me
how to think. I am becoming increasingly frustrated with this and other
library organizations like the ALA and their obvious left leaning political
agendas.


Karyn Ruley

Crawford County Library
201 Plum St.
Grayling, MI
49738
Phone: 989-348-9214
Fax: 989-348-9294

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