Letters To The Editor

Cultural center
a divisive idea
To the editor: It seems with all the advances that have been made in modern times to fight racism it is still alive and doing well.
Let me explain how it is rearing its ugly head in East Toledo. There are multitudes of different ethnicities who chose to settle in East Toledo and call it home. Talk about a melting pot, go to the local cemeteries and look at the headstones. You will see much diversity. In our family alone we have people of English, Scottish, Irish, German, Bulgarian, Native American, and African American descent.
Having lived in Birmingham Terrace as a child in a neighborhood of many people of Hungarian descent, I witnessed a Hungarian man in my first grade class learning to speak English. After moving to three other neighborhoods during my 60 plus years in East Toledo, I had the privilege of meeting people of Jewish, Italian, Middle-Eastern, and African-American descent.
The reason for this letter is the recent announcement of plans to build a Polish cultural center in East Toledo. Really? In this day and age you are going to take the culture of people from the Lagrange Street area in North Toledo and capitalize on a prime location in East Toledo?
What a racist idea and slap in the face of the people in East Toledo. Where is the outcry from those who decry racism and tout diversity, equity, and inclusion? Just because you have the political and financial means doesn’t make it right. What could make it less divisive would be a multicultural center that is welcome to all.
Paul Gibbs
Oregon

Editor’s note: Groundbreaking for the proposed Polish cultural center is set for Spring at Tribute Park in Toledo’s Marina District.