Thank you Harvey Baker for your definition of “woke” in a recent letter (“Woke means being aware of history,” Our Readers’ Views, March 22). Your definition is been the best I have seen or heard. It is awareness of history.
Awareness of history is important even though the Party of Lincoln seems to feel different. I’m sure Honest Abe rolls over in his grave when politicians refuse to talk about slavery — both its inception and aftermath. I’m sure authors do not understand why their books are targeted for removal from bookshelves — this is part of Americana.
Many other topics regarding being woke are thrown around but putting one’s head in the sand and not learning the history of one’s country and one’s world is not a prudent course of action. We need to learn and remember Hitler’s rampage in order to prevent another massacre but it is frightening to me to see the same type of action happening today in this country. Being woke is learning not from ignorance and hate but from understanding what has happened in our past and then making a decision.
Don’t be afraid of the past — learn and improve on it, otherwise one will eventually choke on the sand in which one’s head is buried.
