What I am about to say is going to cause some to incorrectly label me as a racist. Racism is a belief that certain races are genetically superior to other races. Racists can be either white, black or Asian, even though a prominent black professor once said that blacks were incapable of being racist. A comment he made to attempt to justify his own racist tendencies. I am not a racist.
I am a culturalist, though. I am an American, and I believe that American culture is superior to the culture of modern Europe, the culture of Asia, the culture of Latin America and the culture of the Middle East. Some will say, though, "Does not an Indian or a Frenchman or a Russian have the right to be proud of their culture and think that it is superior?" To that I say, absolutely, however, once that Indian, Frenchman or Russian decides to become an American, that needs to change.
After 1776, our Founding Fathers were no longer Englishmen or English-Americans, they were Americans. If a person of Irish descent prefers Ireland to the United States, then he or she should move to Ireland. If a person of Mexican heritage prefers Mexico to the United States, then he or she should cross the Rio Grande. If you want to be an American then you need to lose the hyphen. That goes for African-Americans, Arab-Americans, Jewish-Americans and on and on.
America's history is as the land of opportunity. We made that history as the Great Melting Pot. Now we have become the Great Tossed Salad. All that will accomplish is the Balkanization of America. Check the history of the Balkans. Ethnic rivalries have plagued that region for a thousand years. As long as WE persist in multiculturalism and hyphenated Americanism, ethnic strife HERE will only persist and worsen.
If we want to be Americans then we need to be Americans. Period.
7 comments:
I agree. My ancestors came from Germany. I have never considered myself, nor has anybody in my extended family, a German-American. We are Americans, and proud of it.
Thanks for the fine post.
Picking my brain, again! My family has been here for over three quarters of a century. They became Americans, my parents were born Americans, I was born an American and I can safely speak for all of them when I say we're damned proud to be Americans.
Bill Hodges
Yet again Steve, you state your case clearly and concisely. If we are to survive as a nation in a post-9/11 world, we MUST "drop the hyphen" and consider ourselves as Americans - period. Only then, can we move forward.
SteveD
I hope this was posted on the message board---it reflects what we all believe
You have stated exactly how all Americans should feel about Americans. I don't see how America will survive unless Americans stand united.
That's a great idea. Too bad so many Americans still call my family Mexicans.
Good point.Can we all have our own casinos now????
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