Having already responded to Inez Petersen’s letter regarding “Woke” (“Don’t vote ‘woke’ in school district race”, published July 16), I none the less feel compelled to respond to her Aug. 1 letter where she states that, “Treating people differently based on race is a grievous part of our American history.” (“Equity is inherently divisive and discriminatory”, published Aug. 2).

A grievous part of our American history? I am so glad that she lives in an America where none of those issues are a problem anymore, where all of our citizens, regardless of race or ethnicity are treated with dignity and respect, where there is not a significant number of our police forces that are white supremacists, where there is no discrimination in housing, banking, college admissions and virtually every avenue of life in this country.

Take a look at a significant number of people from the south who still think the civil war was an act of northern aggression and that slavery was not that bad a thing. Even now in Florida they are trying to rewrite history by claiming slavery actually taught black people useful life skills and they weren’t necessarily mistreated as slaves.

They are actually trying to teach this in school.

Wouldn’t most of us like to do away with all types of affirmative action programs because they have outlived their usefulness? Wouldn’t we all love to live in that world? I know I would. Unfortunately that world is very far from being achieved in our country and in many other countries around the world. So, my question for Ms. Petersen is this, your letter has been printed in the Courier-Herald but where in this world are you actually living? Just sayin’.

Larry Benson

Enumclaw