I’m a proud White-Irish-American and I’d like to celebrate my unique culture and heritage. Though I personally had no part in it, my white European ancestors were the ones who founded the greatest country the world has ever known. For all of you progressives out there, I’m referring to America.
Since man is not perfect, (except for Obama) there were a few hitches along the way. But hey, I’m willing to forgive the ignorant few that followed the cultural dictates of the past - the ones who posted signs saying ‘No Irish Need Apply.’ That bigotry was a product of the times and America finally did the right thing by abolishing it.
Personally, I believe trying to address historical grievances is counter-productive. Progressives have repeatedly stressed the importance of ‘moving-on,’ and I think they have a good point.
With the coming of Obama and the progessive agenda, all groups, countries, and cultures are deemed equal. Now its totally OK to celebrate my own group-identity. Especially since taking pride in belonging to the broader, American culture is looked upon with such disfavor.
Since I’m not willing to identify myself solely by my sexual orientation, or my gender, or my politics - or as a victim, or as one of the disenfranchised, that leaves only one group with whom I totally identify: The politically incorrect group of Americans who demand to be judged strictly on merit.
Unfortunately, that’s a no-no in today’s political and cultural environment. I guess I’ll have to be content with just celebrating the color of my skin, like everyone else does.
I’m proud to be white. There, I’ve said it. But I’m getting confused…. A Tennessee state trooper who sent an e-mail proclaiming white pride,
has just been suspended for 15 days without pay and will have to attend diversity training. Does this mean white people can’t celebrate their own culture?
Not very long ago, before the Nazis came along, white pride was, well, pride in being white. People like myself whose ancestors were white Europeans used to take pride in the accomplishments of fellow whites. That pride was acceptable and celebrated. The tremendous influence and contributions made by white Europeans has, alas, been lumped into the discredited category of ‘colonization,’ which we all know is bad . Acknowledgment of white European accomplishments and culture is now deemed racist, which is worse .
The fact that many of the countries that were once colonized by Britain are now worse off than when Britain was calling the shots is an inconvenient historical fact. After all, white people of European descent represent a, gasp, superior culture, and that’s
not allowed to be discussed or studied. Which is why courses on Western Civilization have been removed from college curriculums in favor of gay studies, Black studies, Chicano studies, women studies, etc.
Never having had the time to study diversity and multiculturalism, however, I remain somewhat confused. Hate crime laws require me to take note of the color of a persons’ skin in order not to offend them, while political correctness demands I ignore a person’s race and their culture when forming an opinion of them. This does not compute.
Maybe I should join that Tennessee trooper in diversity training so I’ll know for sure what I am allowed to think, feel and say. After all, I don’t want my white skin and American opinions to offend anyone.
Or better yet, why don’t we all just take Martin Luther King’s advice and judge people based on the content of their character instead of the color of their skin? That way we could do away with all those groups that focus on skin color, like the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Hispanic ‘La Raza,’ and start celebrating what we all have in common. Our very own unique American culture, in which we all can and should take tremendous pride, regardless of what color we are.
Nancy Morgan is a columnist and news editor for RightBias.com
She lives in South Carolina
Excellent
cdyer88 Monday, November 16th at 1:20PM EST (link)We live in a world that, as years go by, is making less and less sense. White people are supposed to continuously apologize for all the ills of the world but not take credit for all the things that they’ve done for the world.
Obama sets the tone for apologizing, it must be from his mother’s side.
I for one am like you, I’m proud of my heritage (fellow Irish-American).
Interesting diary
GremlinJones Monday, November 16th at 1:39PM EST (link)and one that made me think - am I proud of being born white? I honestly have never considered the question. I suppose I am, to a certain extent, because who I am today is reflected in who my parents are, and their parents, and so on and so forth back through the ages. I think it’s interesting to track where my ancestors lived, and who they married, and what kind of people they were.
But I think, like that trooper who sent that e-mail, pride in your ancestors and heritage can become something darker when comparing yourself to people from another race. That trooper used charged racial epithets and it sounded like his e-mail was a lot more “anti-black” than “pro-white”. And honestly, that guy down at the rally screaming “white power” isn’t for helping white people preserve their traditions and heritage, it’s about keeping down people from other races. I guess it’s all about intentions, and it’s hard to know what other people are thinking.
I once joked with a black friend of mine in college that it wasn’t fair that there is a black history month - “where’s the white history month?” I asked him. He smiled at me and said, “look around you. 90% of the students and professors here are white. Every other month is white history month.”
I don’t think he’d have a problem with me embracing my ancestry. I think he’d (rightly) have a problem if I would lecture him that MY people started this country. MY people wrote the Constitution. MY people conquered the west. Because if I phrase it like that, it sounds like I’m asserting my ancestral superiority over him, which is a little pathetic. If I try to claim the accomplishments of all the white people who have ever lived, I’d also have to claim all the bad stuff too, and there has been a lot of horrible things done by white people.
Anyway, I seemed to have gotten all rambly. Thanks for the diary, I enjoyed it!
Why is this here?
Erick Erickson Monday, November 16th at 3:17PM EST (link)We’re not a site that deals with racial issues and this seems very out of place.
Who will stand on either hand and keep this bridge with me?
Categorization is a trademark of the left...
mschmitt Monday, November 16th at 3:26PM EST (link)… and statements such as this one:
“Since I’m not willing to identify myself solely by…”
seem to undercut your thesis at every turn. By the way, I’ve always found that names are a fairly good method of identification.