People are offended because a politician in Virginia wore blackface 30 plus years ago? This is news? I think you should check all 500-plus members of Congress to see what they all did 30 or 40 years ago. Since many members of our Congress are in their 70s and 80s, I bet you’ll find plenty to be offended by, at least according to today’s standards.
None of these people are saints and the idea that we, as American people, have the right to judge our politicians for all the mistakes they’ve ever made since the day they were born is ridiculous. But that’s pretty much where this country seems to be at. It’s got Congress running scared, apologizing for everything under the sun. It’s crazy. And it’s all presented by the media as “breaking news!”
These days, it seems no one can even speak without offending someone. Blackface is history. It’s what happened. Thirty years later we have a new perspective; we are more sensitive to these words and issues. But to hold someone up to today’s standards for something they did 30 years ago is not right or reasonable.
I Googled the definition of the word “offend” and the first answer is: “Cause to feel upset, annoyed or resentful.” The second answer is: “Commit an illegal act.” It seems that people these days are using the second definition for things that belong in the first definition. It’s the difference between a feeling and an act. Nowadays, a person feels offended because of a single word and the next thing you know, it’s treated like an illegal act. I wish I knew the solution, because a bunch of politicians running around Washington, D.C., apologizing for stupid stuff they did 30 years ago is crazy, and calling it “breaking news” is ludicrous. But I don’t know how to fix this predicament. In the meantime, I’ll just sit back and hope this letter doesn’t offend too many people.
— Jackie Endsley
Eagle River
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.