David Cerqueira,

Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts and opinions regarding my views on being woke. Our opinions, each of us, is all we have. There is no one “Capital T” Truth, aka “reality. There are instead, myriad of interpretations and opinions gleaned through each of our individual worldviews or lenses, that are a culmination of our life experiences.

In that regard, I would like to point out that the first quote of mine that you refer to starts with the phrase “for me.” It’s very clear from that, that I was relating my point of view, my opinion, my experiences. As I related in the article, I respect yours and everyone else’s. As for the anger – or what you described as hate - that you experienced in the Black Lives Matter movement, I am not surprised.

All social justice activism has a goal of changing a social condition, and begins with anger at that condition. Anger at what is, is the underlying motivation. In the case of BLM, I think the roots of that anger should be understandable, since there is no doubt that there is systemic racism in the United States which has led to many people of color being miss-treated in many ways, including by the police. I regret that you feel that you were “taught to hate the white system.”

However, it is that very system that has subjugated and oppressed, enslaved, killed, and miss-treated people of color since this nation was formed. America’s history is one of bigotry and violence against indigenous Native Americans and the enslavement of black peoples. That is something worthy of our hatred, IMHO. Unless we feel anger at such injustices, they will never be changed. I regret that you took that anger in anyway personally.

As for a wish to cancel the “male oriented western culture,” I personally, I am opposed to misogyny and patriarchy, just as I am opposed to all forms of hate and bigotry. If you as a male are not it is because it is serving you well.

Again, thank you for sharing your opinions.