Awake to all facets of American history

Some mornings when I first wake up I will scrunch my eyes closed and try to will myself back to sleep, back to that lovely dream I was having. It never works. I have no choice but to wake up and face the day.

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida not only believes that eye-scrunching works, he is determined to make eye-opening illegal. Just look at the “Anti WOKE” legislation.

The name says it all. Don’t wake up! The law makes it illegal to even suggest social injustice exists. According to this law there is not now and never has been any discrimination in the US.

And even if there was, it wasn’t our fault! So let’s not dwell on it.

Merriam-Webster defines “woke” as aware of, and actively attentive to, important societal facts and issues. That is what DeSantis and company are determined to repress. If they can pretend hard enough that everything is fine and dandy then they can keep their children ignorant of what others have gone through. Never mind that their children are wide awake already. They watch television and movies with black, white, brown, gay, trans and every other kind of human. They listen to music by all kinds of people. They read eye-opening books. There is, in fact, no better way to get children to read than to forbid them. Even kids who hate to read will seek out forbidden books and devour them.

This is a lesson Texas, too, has failed to understand. They hold the record for the most book bannings in schools. More than 800 books have been banned in 22 school districts in the last year — mostly books that dealt with race or sexuality.

It makes me so sad and angry for all the kids who already feel “other” when, instead of validating their feelings, telling them that they are not alone, teachers are ordered not to speak of race, gender or sexuality issues. These children are being set on a path toward self-harm and suicide. Though I am certain that subject is too woke for Floridians also.

Recently the Florida Board of Education rejected an AP course on African American History because it encourages “ending the war on Black, trans, queer, gender-nonconforming, and inter-sex people.” DeSantis, himself, dismissed it as “Black, Queer Studies.”

It is an elective course for college bound teens on American history! “Black Queers” are part of that history, too! Great swathes of Americans have been left out of the American history we are taught in school. Leaving them out did not make them go away.

In recent years, America has made great strides towards accepting differences and recognizing the evils done to people of color and gender non-conforming people in the past. Clearly some Floridians do not see that as progress. And since it is a federal crime to discriminate against and persecute people of color and gender non-conforming folks the best DeSantis and his cronies can do is scrunch their eyes up and pretend — pretend that we all still live in that imaginary past with fields full of happy workers.

Going through life with your eyes closed is dangerous. You may well trip and fall. More than that, you miss so much!

 

Lisa Wright divides her time between her home in Lakeville and Oblong Books in Millerton where she has worked for nearly 40 years. Email her at wrightales@gmail.com

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

School budgets pass amid strong turnout in May 20 polling

With robust voter turnout throughout the region, proposed 2025-26 education budgets passed handily, along with their additional propositions, in the polling held on Tuesday, May 20.

Webutuck Central School District

By a margin of 173 to 103, voters approved the 2025-26 budget totaling $28,665,850, an increase of 5.96% over the current year. After expected revenues are factored in, the amount to be raised by local taxes is $19,403,307, a 5.27% increase over the current year.

Keep ReadingShow less
Amenia gathers at Fountain Square

A traditional Memorial Day observance to honor the fallen was held Fountain Square on Monday, May 26. The ceremony included an Honor Guard from the Wassaic Fire Company standing by the Veterans’ Memorial Wall.

Photo by Leila Hawken

AMENIA — The community gathered at Fountain Square under sunny skies on Monday, May 26, for a Memorial Day ceremony to honor the fallen who bravely served their country. Remembrances, tributes, prayers and music combined to create the fitting annual tribute.

An Honor Guard from VFW Post #5444 of Dover Plains presented the colors at the start of the ceremony that began promptly at 11 a.m. with a welcome from VFW Commander Nick Woodard to the more than 100 who had gathered.

Keep ReadingShow less
Looking at America
Photo by Aly Morrissey

Jay Dacey of the United Kingdom’s Channel 4 took an unexpected detour to the Village of Millerton on Friday, May 23 to capture footage of a rural American town.

The stop was one of the last on a 10-day trip to the United States to film a piece on American politics.

Keep ReadingShow less
Townscape’s flower power

Red, white and blue Memorial Day planting by Townscape’s volunteers ahead of Memorial Day ceremonies.

Photo by Leslie Farhangi

The Townscape team was out in force in time for Memorial Day in its 25th year of flower planting.

Planting were place throughout the village, and they can be found at the War Memorial in Veterans Park, in the boxes and planters on the bridge on Main Street, and at the Rail Trail crossing. As always, Tracy Hanselman and Jim Lambertson gave Townscape assistance with their expert horticultural direction, and they will maintain and water the plants throughout the season.

Keep ReadingShow less