“Woke-ism” in real life is nothing like the dictionary definition offered in several recent letters to the editor. The writers have partaken of the purple Kool-Aid of progressivism. But let’s add some critical thinking to the mix and see if a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down.

For example, I would assume that the writers who support the dictionary definition of “woke-ism” are aghast that books like “Gender Queer” and “It’s Perfectly Normal” are being banned in schools. But have they observed with their own eyes the pornographic writings and drawings contained in them? I doubt it because they are not accustomed to using original sources—the books themselves—as a basis for their opinions! The opinion of this FOX news reporter (youtube.com/watch?v=Giy8MNtIJas) is probably closer to the truth about the LBGT school book of the month club than the Joy Reid types at the liberal fake news outlets upon which the Kool-Aid drinkers rely.

Let’s use another original source. FBI statistics where race was known indicate that in 2018 there were 6,460 murders involving a single victim; 3315 white and 2925 black. White on white crime was 80.8% compared to 88.9% black on black crime. For this same period, white on black crime was 8%; and black on white crime was 15.5%.

What does that tell you? Critical thinking leads to one conclusion: blacks are not the victims of systemic racism — they are, in fact, killing their own. And the Kendi-speak mantra of white supremacy doesn’t fit any better than OJ’s gloves.

Here’s another example of facts that can be used for critical thinking if the supporters of the dictionary definition of “woke-ism” can put their bias aside and search out original sources. Remember the saying, “Hands up — Don’t shoot”? That never happened. The DOJ reported that witnesses initially stated that Michael Brown had his hands up and was even shot in the back. Witnesses weren’t eye witnesses at all — they were lying.

May original sources and critical thinking cause the purple Kool-Aid drinkers to throw away their dictionaries. Let’s really wake up and make America great again.

Inez Petersen

Enumclaw