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God bless Derrick Skaug. Although it appears Derrick already is greatly blessed with profound insight, humility, wisdom and courage, and I hope we hear and see more from him.<br><br><font style="" color="#8064a2"><font style="font-size:12pt" size="3"><font style="" face="Verdana">Keely<br>www.keely-prevailingwinds.com<br></font></font></font><br><br><div><div id="SkyDrivePlaceholder"></div>> From: v2020@ssl1.fastmail.fm<br>> To: vision2020@moscow.com<br>> Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:25:39 -0700<br>> Subject: [Vision2020] "We are the answer"<br>> <br>> Visionaries:<br>> <br>> I know not all here would agree -- some choose to focus on the "intolerance"<br>> of so-called Intoleristas rather than on the public intolerance of bigoted<br>> groups that galvanized some of us to pull our complacent heads from the sand<br>> -- but this eloquently and accurately reflects my thoughts:<br>> "We must be active architects of a better country and a better world.<br>> Silence in the face of bigotry and discrimination is agreement and consent.<br>> We must challenge every instance of inequality, no matter how small it is.<br>> While overcoming our history's dark side is not pleasant, it is something we<br>> must actively do every day."<br>> <br>> Here's the full letter that was published in today's Moscow-Pullman Daily<br>> News:<br>> <br>> Letter to the Editor<br>> We are the answer<br>> Posted: Friday, March 30, 2012 1:00 am | Updated: 8:22 am, Fri Mar 30, 2012.<br>> <br>> My heart is deeply grieved by the recent news that Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi<br>> mother of five living in California was beaten to death by a tire iron.<br>> Found on her body was a note that said, "Go back to your own country. You're<br>> a terrorist." This incident shows the long-reaching effects the political<br>> rhetoric and rancor of the past 10 years has had on the American psyche. A<br>> spark of anger and hatred spurred by our popular culture and political<br>> leaders has turned into a fire within the fringe of our country.<br>> <br>> Gay youth are committing suicide due to relentless intimidation and<br>> harassment. Travyon Martin was gunned down for what some call "wearing a<br>> hood while black." And the murder of Alawadi. All point to a startling<br>> problem. There is a dark side of American culture. While it's underground,<br>> it's still there. A deep seated resentment of other races, of people unlike<br>> us, lies in the hearts of many. This dark side exists everywhere. I cannot<br>> count how many times I have heard racial, homophobic and sexist slurs at<br>> sporting events, social gatherings, even in the work place and classes. This<br>> isn't just a problem isolated to my community, but it is ingrained within<br>> the very fabric of our society.<br>> <br>> It would be easy for us to give up hope, hope of a better tomorrow, a<br>> tomorrow without wrathful hatred and reckless violence. But we cannot. We<br>> are the answer to the problem. We must be active architects of a better<br>> country and a better world. Silence in the face of bigotry and<br>> discrimination is agreement and consent. We must challenge every instance of<br>> inequality, no matter how small it is. While overcoming our history's dark<br>> side is not pleasant, it is something we must actively do every day.<br>> <br>> <br>> Derrick Skaug<br>> ASWSU Vice-President Elect<br>> Pullman<br>> <br>> __________<br>> <br>> Indeed.<br>> <br>> <br>> Saundra Lund<br>> Moscow, ID<br>> <br>> The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do<br>> nothing.<br>> ~ Edmund Burke<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> =======================================================<br>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<br>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<br>> http://www.fsr.net<br>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>> =======================================================<br></div> </div></body>
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