Perhaps Columnist’s Blame Is Misplaced?

Sandy Banks’ Jan. 27 column (“Proud to Be of Color, Yet Trying to Be Color Blind”) complains that when she was in school “our American history lessons reduced my ancestors’ stories to footnotes” and that this caused her to feel “shame” and “hurt” and like she was in “shackles.”

At least they got into the footnotes. I don’t remember ever reading or hearing the words “Jew” or “Jewish” in the 13 years I went to public school.

Despite that, I never felt shackled, shamed or hurt by my education. On the contrary: I felt liberated. I already knew about, and was proud of, my Jewish background--it was the non-Jews who missed out by not learning about it.

Perhaps Banks should blame her early lack of pride on something other than the schools she attended.

RICHARD SHOWSTACK

Newport Beach