Racial inequities

Editor, The Commercial:

For those who deny that government-approved racial discrimination exists in this country, the Arkansas government — along with 16 other southern states — has systematically underfunded its HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) land-grant universities since 1890.

In the last 30 years alone the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff suffered an over $300 million dollar deficit compared to the funding of UA-Fayetteville. What a difference that funding would have made in preparing thousands of Black students to fulfill their potential, to become leaders in their chosen fields. What a difference it would have made in sustaining the economy of Pine Bluff.

Over the years Black GIs were denied the benefits of the GI Bill. Black businesses were denied loans to get off the ground. Black farmers were denied loans and participation in government programs. Black homeowners were denied mortgages.

I won’t enumerate the number of massacres and destruction of Black communities by whites who felt threatened by their successes and how those same white terrorists were never brought to justice.

Most white people don’t believe in reparations to the Black community (“I never owned slaves.”). They don’t think they have any obligation to begin to make a start to correct these inequalities. In fact many white people feel it only fair that affirmative action is no longer a requirement in higher education. The final example of refusal to take any responsibility in this centuries’ old discrimination is that the actual history of it cannot be taught.

SUSAN WESTON, LITTLE ROCK