To the Editor: Franklin was a racist. A blatant racist at that. He often boasted of how the Europeans stole this land from the Native Americans. He once asked, in reference to the hope that America could one day become the realm of whites, "Why increase the Sons of Africa, by planting them in America, where we have so fair an opportunity, by excluding all blacks and tawneys, of increasing the lovely white?" Some folk hero, huh? Another great founding father, Thomas Jefferson, wrote "The blacks, whether originally a distinct race, or made distinct by time and circumstance, are inferior to the whites in the endowment both of body and of mind." I wouldn't say these guys were leaders towards racial harmony. DuBois was a brilliant man who preached black nationalism. Given the state of the black community at that time and the priority given to it by the white establishment, is he to blame for his wants to be independent from the white community? Self-help is an excellent way to counteract dependence. Scioli is of the same people who complain of the need for welfare reform, the need to get people to stop relying on the government. DuBois wanted blacks to achieve economic independence. This meant keeping the black dollar in the community and not relying on government handouts. Scioli's ignorance lies in the fact that he believes the brainwashing, early-education teachings that paint our forefathers to be great champions of human rights (all men are created equal, right?). The truth is they were racists. People need to learn more black history and not accept unequivocally the words of an elementary school textbook. The statues of Ben Franklin stand as symbols of bigotry. The W.E.B. DuBois House stands as a symbol of intelligence, courage, and self-respect. Dante Zappala College '97
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