Being aware of racial bias should be a positive

According to Wikipedia, the term “woke” is “the African-American English synonym for the General American English word ‘awake,’ which has, since the 1930s or earlier, been used to refer to awareness of social and political issues affecting African Americans, often in the construction ‘stay woke.’ Beginning in the 2010s, it came to be used to refer to a broader awareness of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism and denial of LGBTQ rights.”

The U.S. accumulated hundreds of years of wealth while inhumanely treating slaves. I am aware of how the Americans continued with lynchings, unjust incarceration, Ku Klux Klan groups, hate crimes, segregation and systematic oppression after slavery. Our governments, industrial complex, military and banking systems suppressed people, which led to generational wealth disparity. Women still struggle in a patriarchal world.

Many of us were not taught the whole truth, causing us to think America was everyone’s land of opportunity.

Outraged by images of the Civil Rights Movement, I tried to follow “the golden rule” (do unto and for others as you would have them do to and for you). Becoming more aware included reading and studying books like “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander; “The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein; “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates; “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson; and novels like “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead and “James” by Percival Everett. Additionally, having gay, lesbian and transgender friends made me aware that those that live and love differently are human beings who need to be free to live their lives safely.

Some have characterized being “woke” as a bad thing, but if being aware is “woke,” count me in. I’m proud to be aware. I do see color and diversity and embrace them.

— John Bischoff, San Rafael

Keep funding USAID’s key vaccination program

I strongly support continuing — and even increasing (in the case of funding for vaccinations) — the U.S. Agency for International Development (“Judge blocks Trump from placing thousands of USAID workers on leave and giving them 30-day deadline,” Feb. 7).

Infectious diseases don’t care about national boundaries. They easily enter the U.S. with unsuspecting, unvaccinated travelers.

For example, we should continue to help vaccinating Africans in countries with Ebola, which has a 40% fatality rate in unvaccinated populations. This saves lives and reduces the chance it will spread to the U.S. again. It was just 11 years ago that two cases occurred in the United States. Happily, heroic U.S. doctors stepped in and prevented what could have been a disastrous spread in our country.

— Anne C. Cohen, San Rafael

Plan to take over Gaza should not be offensive

President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza and move residents (“Trump’s Gaza plan shocks the world but finds support in Israel,” Feb. 6) was accused of being “ethnic cleansing” and contrary to international norms. That’s false. Moreover, I am surprised that segments of the Arab American community appear to be incensed that the U.S. would take a role in improving the individual lives of Palestinians by offering voluntary resettlement in neighboring Arab countries.

Ten million Syrian refugees were relocated over the Syrian civil war that devastated most of the country. Many areas have not been rebuilt, and those refugees have not returned to Syria yet. Ukraine had 12 million refugees from 2022 to 2024 who were resettled in Europe during the devastation of cities like Mariupol. Israel resettled 200,000 citizens due to the destruction of their areas by Hamas and Hezbollah. So the premise that no one has resettled refugees from war zones in which whole cities have been devastated is wrong.

In addition, if the relocation was voluntary, it would be the first time Gazans had a choice whether they wanted to be ruled by Hamas under inhumane conditions created by Hamas.

Many demanded that Israel produce a “day after” plan. While it may not yet be settled in detail, the idea that U.S. officials can pressure the Saudis, Egyptians and Jordanians, let alone the Emirates, changes the dynamic. The details may take time, but expanding the number of players changes what is possible.

The alternative is to force people to live again under jihadi rule in a devastated area with no sewage and housing. Why should Gazans not be afforded the opportunity most refugees have been given in the last 25 years?

— Jeff Saperstein, Mill Valley