Am I the only one who is starting to feel like a White Person? (generations, illegal)

[NeutralZone]

Am I the only one who is beginning to feel like a White Person?

I'm a white guy. A Caucasian. Or if you prefer, a "European-American". I'm sure this fact has colored (pardon the pun) my outlook on things, whether consciously or not. Everyone is a product of their environment, their upbringing, etc. Everyone has certain prejudices. Everyone believes certain stereotypes.

I do not consider myself superior to anyone else. I do not think my race or the ethnic groups I am descended from are inherently any better or worse than any other race or group. I believe in the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence: "All men are created equal".

I've never really thought of myself in terms of being "white". But lately, I have- and it bothers me.

Why is it that those on the left are obsessed with the concept of race? I am no right wing extremist. I hold some views that are very liberal, and some that could be considered very conservative. Maybe that makes me a centrist? But there is a constant drum beat by those on the left that insists on putting everybody in a little box based on their race or ethnic origins. They promote a world view that makes race the end all and be all of a person's identity. They have a belief in group identity, group politics, group rights. There are those who divide the world into two groups- white people and their victims. To them a person who is a "minority" is no longer an individual, but an abstract concept, an actor in their world view who plays out a certain role.

I am not suggesting that there is no racism. Of course there is, and it is deplorable. But to suggest or pretend that we are still a nation where racism has the sanction of the law, that lynchings and white supremacist groups hold sway, is absurd. Institutional racism in this country is by and large a thing of the past. But you would never know that listening to many very vocal and powerful interests in this country. There is an obsession with classifying and identifying people by race and ethnic origin on a scale not seen since the days of Third Reich racial theories.

Why is this?

When those on the left continually proclaim a belief in racial determinism, in racial classification, in ethnic group think, and ethnic solidarity, what am I to think? My ancestors never owned slaves. They weren't even in this country. One of my grandfathers was illiterate. My grandmother couldn't speak English. They were discriminated against. Now two generations later, I write this. Of course, being European in origin, my family eventually "assimilated" and now I blend in with the general "white" population. This is a route that in the past was not available to people of color. But that's no longer the case.

Now people are encouraged to not speak English. Now we have interest groups that preach that ethnic bonds are paramount. Now we encourage "multi-culturalism". Now we encourage people to think of themselves as seperate. Whatever happened to Martin Luther King's dream of a color-blind society?

Why is this?

If those on the left keep pushing this agenda, if I take them at their word, then my identity is that of a white person. And my interests are the same as other white people. I never thought of myself in those terms. It really struck me the other day when a conversation happened at work. Someone began a conversation about the new Arizona law against illegal immigrants. This person was vehemetely against it. She said anyone for it was a bigot and a racist. She went on and on. Someone on my staff disagreed (mildly). The one who started the conversation was incensed, and reported her to the HR director. I was told to talk to my employee and tell her what she said was inappropriate. My employee was dumbfounded and asked why was it OK for a Latino to be loudly and vociferously against the law, branding anyone else a racist, but that she as a white person did not have the same right to be for it? She said if everyone else can stand up for their rights as a Latino, African-American, Muslim-American, etc, then she can stand up for her rights as a European-American. It really struck a nerve and made me think.

I don't want to see our country be divided into competing groups. While we always have been and always will be a diverse nation, I want to see us unite as one people. In the old days, it was the white supremacists who fought against this and wanted to keep us divided. Now it is those on the left who seem hell-bent on stoking division. It's gotten to the point where I am starting to think of myself as a white person, and it bothers me.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

I never thought of "the left" as pushing the themes you're describing. But hey - if you want to think of yourself as a "White Person", that's your prerogative.