And...I'm scottish and irish, which is nice, but I was also born in New Jersey, have lived in two other states, and whether or not my ancestors helped to 'steal' this land, I'm here now and this is the only home that I know. Every bit of land, except for the first little patch where humans first lived, has been 'stolen' from other humans--that includes your native and welsh ancestor. The first came across the Bearing Sea. The second from up north. Neither race originated in the place you identify them with. And the wlesh, at least, had to deal with whatever natives were already there.
Why should we concentrate on being Americans?
Because we all live here, maybe? Because the more we go 'I live on this spot of land, but I want nothing to do with the people I share it with', the more likely the place will fall apart completely and we'll end up with warring factions. Again. Which does no race any good at all And this time, there's no new land to run to when we want to get away from the next big and ugly fight.
Because there are lines, and maybe if people would quit making them, we wouldn't have to 'cover our asses'.
I realize that cynicism over the nature of the human race is pretty damned common, but by the same token, if we don't work to change that, it will indeed always be that way. Making more lines will not change it. Erasing it might, and it's about the only thing we really haven't tried yet.
And again, I have no problem with people embracing their culture, but to be honest, embracong what you are, and learning to deal with people outside of your own circle are two different things. And I honestly believe that yes, when you are dealing with the world at large, there should be a common ground that isn't influenced by culture or race, or at least one that can handle 'hey, we're different, but I'm not going to be an ass and get all butt hurt because you don't know how to treat me according to my culture'.
And yeah, before you point that out too, I realize that people cling to their identities so hard that most will not consent to that. But I still feel it's worth striving for.
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carisma_sensei
Re: 'Caucasian' work better?
Date: 2007-03-23 10:32 pm (UTC)Why should we concentrate on being Americans?
Because we all live here, maybe? Because the more we go 'I live on this spot of land, but I want nothing to do with the people I share it with', the more likely the place will fall apart completely and we'll end up with warring factions. Again. Which does no race any good at all And this time, there's no new land to run to when we want to get away from the next big and ugly fight.
Because there are lines, and maybe if people would quit making them, we wouldn't have to 'cover our asses'.
I realize that cynicism over the nature of the human race is pretty damned common, but by the same token, if we don't work to change that, it will indeed always be that way. Making more lines will not change it. Erasing it might, and it's about the only thing we really haven't tried yet.
And again, I have no problem with people embracing their culture, but to be honest, embracong what you are, and learning to deal with people outside of your own circle are two different things. And I honestly believe that yes, when you are dealing with the world at large, there should be a common ground that isn't influenced by culture or race, or at least one that can handle 'hey, we're different, but I'm not going to be an ass and get all butt hurt because you don't know how to treat me according to my culture'.
And yeah, before you point that out too, I realize that people cling to their identities so hard that most will not consent to that. But I still feel it's worth striving for.