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I agree, I am American, I view others as humans and I hardly think about other's ethnicity or my own.
Nema98,
It goes far beyond ethnicity -- there are plenty of stereotypes and biases that have nothing to do with that. As a fellow Angeleno I could probably list a handful of non-ethnic biases or stereotypes that you have. Of course, I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing in this public venue.
When we're being our natural, normal, affable selves, most of us can say much the same thing you did. However, put us under the influence of strong negative emotion (anger, fear, jealousy, frustration, etc.) and our biases, stereotypes and prejudices frequently flare up -- at least in our internal dialogue.
'Well would you look at that! How typical of a [insert pejorative group name] -- going around [insert unflattering behavior description] and [insert second unflattering behavior description].'
C'mon now -- be honest with yourself. Haven't you thought something very much like this, a bit more often than you'd care to admit?
Congratulations -- that means you're normal.
Last edited by Nighteyes; 11-28-2013 at 10:50 AM..
I dont think american was ever a very unified country. we divide down religious,political,racial, economical lines always have and always will.
Don't forget regional; North vs South, East Coast vs. West Coast vs. Flyovers, etc. Human differences are very real, and we should not attempt to ignore, overlook or downplay them. We must learn how to constructively handle/deal with them, through cooperation and collaboration.
As long as we continue down this current binary track -- "Take it or leave it" -- "My way or the highway" -- we will continue to label and blame one another, make no progress whatsoever, and start coming apart at the seams.
Last edited by Nighteyes; 11-30-2013 at 04:16 PM..
I just came back to America after a short trip to some places I wanted to visit. On my last trip, I went to Italy and Namibia. One thing I learned from this trip is we as American's divide ourselves so much. My taxi driver was actually an Asian man, but he said he was just plain Italian. He didn't feel the need to describe to say he was Asian-Italian.
So my point is I am not African American, and I am not a Black American. I am an American. Why are minorities labeled as sub-Americans? I don't see anyone saying Euro-American. Are white people the only true Americans? No. These labels just divide us. This causes a lot of problems. Why do we do this?
White-Americans do it too. E.g., Italian-American, Irish-American, German-American, Jewish-American and so on.
Read up on the Irish voting gangs of Chicago. The senior mayor Daley was a member of one of those voting gangs in his youth.
Anyways... the Irish make up a small portion of Chicago but run almost the whole city. Likewise, Jewish-Americans make up about 1% of the U.S. population but hold well over 90% of the top power positions in Hollywood and disproptionately hold wealth and power in the United States relative to their percentage of the U.S. population.
What is termed "Identity Politics" did not begin with Black-Americans, gays, or feminists but those 3 groups simply learned from previous ethnicities of white males and took Identity Politics to new heights.
Now... every male and female feminist puts his or her 2 cents online or in person telling some omega female she should not date nor treat like a human (let alone man) some omega male working 2 low paying jobs, but said feminists have nothing to say about American omega females rimming welfare mothers they are sexually attracted to or have a liking for.
I was born and raised in the United States. Over 98% of it population are not my friends but enemies worse than Al Qaida. Period.
And I don't care about the division. I don't care about the mass shootings. Nor are the enemies of the United States my enemies. (They probably wish me no ill will--and even if they did they don't get up on American TV and lie like Satan about how good and all loving they are towards me and the "bottom" males like so many on American TV.)
So my point is I am not African American, and I am not a Black American. I am an American.
Good point!! Thank you. And except for maybe describing someone for a criminal dragnet (ie; Can you decribe the people that beat you up? Yes, they were two asian-american men in their early 30s. Or: They were two white men in their early 20s) why insist on forcing this on everyone? More I blame the P.C. portion of our society insisting that certain ethnic groups be called hyphenated-americans or insisting that we have certain events celebrating certain hyphenated groups when, unless one is not a citizen, we are ALL Americans.
FWIW it's the minorities here that have chosen to hyphenate their heritage and divide themselves...not the other way around.
When I was a kid, it was not the black people in the south who designated social facilities as "white" and "colored." It was not the black people in the north who redlined mortgage loans according to race.
That isn't "history" because people who were raised with that idea of society and still think in those terms are still in control of American industry and government.
Did you visit London? You will find all type of sectioning into communities there. by origin.If its by choice I see no problem at all; better than cultural conflict. The US is much like visiting all of Europe really ;so hardly the same comparison still.
When I was a kid, it was not the black people in the south who designated social facilities as "white" and "colored." It was not the black people in the north who redlined mortgage loans according to race.
That isn't "history" because people who were raised with that idea of society and still think in those terms are still in control of American industry and government.
I guess that's why we refer to them as COLOREDS today huh?
Moderator cut: personal remarks
Blacks themselves in the 80's and 90's (Long after the whole colored thing ended BTW.) began hyphenating themselves along with other minorities...
I guess that's why we refer to them as COLOREDS today huh?
My birth certificate says "Colored." The last time I was personally and publically referred to as "colored" was during my high school graduation ceremony, as I was being awarded a scholarship...I was the first "colored boy" to be awarded a scholarship by that particular organization. I didn't hold it against the guy--he was old and trying to pay me a compliment.
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Geesh how ignorant.... Blacks themselves in the 80's and 90's (Long after the whole colored thing ended BTW.) began hyphenating themselves along with other minorities...
That was because blacks and Latinos determined at that point that white society was not so morally superior as to be desireable.
The last time I sat in segregated movie seating in Oklahoma was July 20, 1969, which was not that long ago. Notice it was the date Neil Armstrong stepped out on the moon.
In the 70s, there were still "sundown towns" in Oklahoma in the 70s, not that long ago.
You might think the "colored" thing ended, but it never really did. Tactics have changed, but the old tricks remain the same...at least for the Boomer generation. Boomers are the last generation born and raised into apartheid. For a long time I thought we Boomers were the "transitional" generation that had put that behind us, but the last six years have taught me that we have not.
I do think Millennials are different. I do think that when we Boomers are finally dead (or at least all have Alzheimer's), the "colored" thing will come to an end. It's certainly not over as long as we Boomers still control politics and industry.
Last edited by Ralph_Kirk; 12-06-2013 at 01:47 PM..
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always been divided
