Why Are Minorities "Proud" of their Heritage and does that Pride Cause Problems?

So you want him to do this?
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I wanted to post, but I really didn't know where to begin...

Big, BIG, HUGE, amounts of respect, admiration, and thanks to FranchiseBlade and SC1211. Great posts by both of you in this thread. Thanks for taking the time to type well thought out responses laden with logic and understanding.

Rep Given.

 

Fear and paranoia is what caused Italian, German, and Japanese to basically lose 99% of their speakers in this country over a period of a single generation.

 

Gee, I wonder where I got the idea that this is breaking down into political (partisan) lines? Certainly not that this is the politics discussion area. Or that you (a conservative Republican) and Commodore (a conservative Republican) both side together while others argue against.

And the observation that Obama is "half black and half white"? Gee, I wonder which side of the political spectrum tends to raise that as a discussion point?

As a minority and someone that has experienced discrimination first-hand, this discussion is more than a hypothetical. And while I do identify myself as an American" first, I also believe my self identification hasn't changed how others act. Ignoring lines won't change that.

 

He also says it around the 1:15 mark too.
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Obama doesn't like to bring up race (others do it more than him). Your idea that people should work hard and identify as Americans isn't incompatible with recognizing distinct cultural groups as well.

 

Imagine going through 12 years of history and only seeing someone that looked like you . . . in chains.

Black History [without black history month] -
They were savages
They were happy slaves
They were freed
They got Martin Luther King

Woman's history Month
They were drown for being witches
They had Betsy Ross
They got the Vote

Latino History Month
Texas defeated Santa Ana
Cinco De Mayo
Immigration

Without these 'months'
History is a white wash of glossed over facts that don't dig into the true history

Rocket River
That has been my experience

 

I think the problem is that you think you have to be black to celebrate, for example, the triumph of Dr Martin Luther King.

It was not a triumph of people of a certain color. It was a triumph of oppressed people who shared the same color because of the oppressor. Remember a very small group of non-blacks participated in that struggle and shared that triumph although the oppression did not necessarily affect them. Blacks didn't care about their skin color, they cared about their circumstances. It is a triumph for all people who are oppressed and a blueprint for success. Tomorrow if the same things happen to Asians, the triumphs are totally relevant to them.

As for whether it's appropriate to celebrate the accomplishments of a person's heritage, I say only if it's celebrated as a triumph from a humanistic point of view. Otherwise, no. For example, celebrating the British monarchy, to me, is incredibly disgusting because it ignores how many more people suffered from it than benefitted from it.

 

I think you are failing to see that the US isn't one singular culture but is a plurality. We are a nation of immigrants and I see nothing wrong with being a hyphenated American. I don't see that as being anymore of a problem than me still considering myself a Texan even though I have lived in Minnesota for 15 years.

I don't believe you are a racist but I think you are being somewhat naive about this. If were just up to Obama to consider himself as just an American then there would've been no Birther movement.

 

I'd like to hear what Baylorbear09 has to say on this issue. Where are you Baylorbear09?

 

I am not pointing out you are short sighted because of your political views, but rather because of your postings here (seriously, did you cite Drudge as a source earlier in this thread?). I am highlighting that there is a political and partisan split here.

And while I am sorry you have been discriminated against (I'd be curious in what form... I am hoping you won't say "I was discriminated from getting a job because I wasn't a minority"), but IMO it won't be the same as being discriminated against due to race, nationality, religion, gender. Because if you did, you wouldn't suggest ignoring your heritage as a way to lessen discrimination.

 

Frankly this is very naive. We have great opportunities in this country and it is very important that we work hard to make the most of those opportunities but hard work alone doesn't guarantee success no matter what race or background you are.

Race and ethnic mixing have gone on in America since before it was even a country and we still are a pluralistic society. For that matter the more access we have to information doesn't even things out but creates more opportunities to create our own tribal cultures, for example Clutchfans is it's own tribe. Just adding more diverse people is liking to create more tribalism than less.

The fact though that "United" is in the name shows that we are pluralistic. 'E pluribus unum' our national motto means "out of many one," that recognizes that we are many but that we come together to build one country. That isn't the same as saying that we all subsume ourselves to a single national culture but a recognition that a diversity of groups can work together.

 

As both a white man and a black woman he has a unique viewpoint.

 

He has said it a number of times (not sure why he needs to). You see what you want to see and make assumptions that support your position.