Letter: Americans must recognize those who cause racial division

To the Editor-

America consists of patriots and foreigners. The patriots embrace allegiance to our flag and the foreigners refuse to assimilate into our national family.

Most are proud that America was founded by brilliant men and women who gave their wealth and blood to build the most profound constitutional republic known to planet Earth.

Our founders owned slaves, recognized their sin, and began making amends through the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, with these words from President Abragram Lincoln, “All persons held as slaves within the rebel states are, and henceforward shall be free.”

During the Civil War, whites fought side-by-side with 180,000 African Americans serving in the army and another 18,000 in the navy. Blacks and whites together preserved the union and won the Civil War.

Then began their journey of binding wounds, restoring, and uniting America. Churches tore down their balconies which separated black and white worshiping Christians allowing them to sit, pray, and sing together as one congregation. Blacks and whites married forming “Mulatto” families and were listed as such until the 1930 Federal Census when the enumerators were instructed to record these families as black no matter the fraction of that lineage. Black and American-Indian families were reported as black and people of American-Indian and white lineage were reported as Indian. Our interracial marriages now make it rare to find “pure” blooded African-Americans, American-Indians, and Euro-Americans.

We are indeed one nation of lineages tracing back to our first parents, therefore, we respect our common heritage, history, journey, and statues. It is our national family, our history, and our journey.

In my opinion, most Americans regret the enslavement of African-Americans during our colonial times. As a nation, we have proven our remorse by paying the heavy price of a Civil War, creating laws, education, and social services. Most Americans grasp that it is an imperfect situation but are dedicated to continuing the healing process.

Further, we are obligated to search out every domestic enemy driving wedges among the African-Americans, American-Indians, and Euro-Americans. These traitors remain foreigners, their crimes treasonous, and their actions punishable.

Jean C. Edens
Stevens Point