Dear race baiters, Do you remember that American Christian minister who had a dream? This letter is to tell you that dream is ending. I was born in a time that made us believe we were all equal, and that our skin color was irrelevant. A time that swore to never repeat the worst catastrophes humanity had endured: slavery, colonialism, segregation, the holocaust i.e. the collective demonization of people on the grounds of supremacist ideas, religion, or ethnicity.
My Grandfather arrived from Germany in 1917. He began work in a grey iron foundry. At some point he decided he could do it better, found an investor and built his own. My wife’s Grandfather arrived from Yugoslavia approximately in the same year. He worked underground in iron ore mines on the Iron Range for over 40 years. Neither asked for anything or were given anything...no handouts. They took root and had families. They succeeded through sweat-equity, perseverance, pride and personal honor. These two, and the other two Grandfathers of equal stature, laid the foundation our families succeed on today. We look back with pride at what they accomplished and the manner in which they did. These two stories, like millions of others, are what helped build the USA.
I think your heritage, my heritage, and so many others are no longer part of history lessons in the US. If you learn about boys being sent to coal mines, you might question 'white privilege.' If one knows that Eugenics initially was devised for poor whites, that questioning might deepen. My thinking has influenced a family member who told a friend, who is black, that his grandfather had a higher level of survival than ours. Back then the Irish did pipefitter work and at the time it was extremely dangerous and only the dumb Irish were desperate enough to do it. His friend was shocked but I am sure my brother was right. When Marx was developing his theories, the life expectancy in neighboring areas in England was reportedly less than 20. So while I reject Marx's solutions, one cannot deny his observations. But the issue isn't capitalism. The feudal system surely was no better.
Am neither white nor western, but agree 100%. Grew up in my own culture inherited from parents who had left their country to seek better opportunities. I adopted the two other cultures that I lived, went to school and then eventually worked with because that was also part of my heritage. None of the 3 are superior or inferior; all are as special and wonderful as the other.
I believe I and my siblings feel that way because our parents engendered in us a sense of confidence in our own cultural background, which allowed us to deeply respect and appreciate other cultures. When you lack that confidence, you feel “less than”, and hence you feel you have to fight in some way to feel “more than” - not that such a fight ever makes you feel truly victorious.
All the traits you attribute to whiteness of working hard, showing up on time, having good grades is shared by many an Asian culture as well; and is probably inherently universal if everyone had the same opportunities - which is what King fought for. MLK’s speechwriter in a recent interview had a message for young blacks asking them to commit to the pursuit of personal excellence, being the very best - out of which they would truly demonstrate ‘black is beautiful’, vs some empty slogan; as black is beautiful, he says, because of its commitment to personal excellence, which has no colour.
You're right that those who need to hear it will probably never read it, and that's a shame. But that shouldn't stop any of us from shouting our truth from the rooftops regardless.
My Grandfather arrived from Germany in 1917. He began work in a grey iron foundry. At some point he decided he could do it better, found an investor and built his own. My wife’s Grandfather arrived from Yugoslavia approximately in the same year. He worked underground in iron ore mines on the Iron Range for over 40 years. Neither asked for anything or were given anything...no handouts. They took root and had families. They succeeded through sweat-equity, perseverance, pride and personal honor. These two, and the other two Grandfathers of equal stature, laid the foundation our families succeed on today. We look back with pride at what they accomplished and the manner in which they did. These two stories, like millions of others, are what helped build the USA.
I think your heritage, my heritage, and so many others are no longer part of history lessons in the US. If you learn about boys being sent to coal mines, you might question 'white privilege.' If one knows that Eugenics initially was devised for poor whites, that questioning might deepen. My thinking has influenced a family member who told a friend, who is black, that his grandfather had a higher level of survival than ours. Back then the Irish did pipefitter work and at the time it was extremely dangerous and only the dumb Irish were desperate enough to do it. His friend was shocked but I am sure my brother was right. When Marx was developing his theories, the life expectancy in neighboring areas in England was reportedly less than 20. So while I reject Marx's solutions, one cannot deny his observations. But the issue isn't capitalism. The feudal system surely was no better.
Am neither white nor western, but agree 100%. Grew up in my own culture inherited from parents who had left their country to seek better opportunities. I adopted the two other cultures that I lived, went to school and then eventually worked with because that was also part of my heritage. None of the 3 are superior or inferior; all are as special and wonderful as the other.
I believe I and my siblings feel that way because our parents engendered in us a sense of confidence in our own cultural background, which allowed us to deeply respect and appreciate other cultures. When you lack that confidence, you feel “less than”, and hence you feel you have to fight in some way to feel “more than” - not that such a fight ever makes you feel truly victorious.
All the traits you attribute to whiteness of working hard, showing up on time, having good grades is shared by many an Asian culture as well; and is probably inherently universal if everyone had the same opportunities - which is what King fought for. MLK’s speechwriter in a recent interview had a message for young blacks asking them to commit to the pursuit of personal excellence, being the very best - out of which they would truly demonstrate ‘black is beautiful’, vs some empty slogan; as black is beautiful, he says, because of its commitment to personal excellence, which has no colour.
Bravo!
Sometimes you just have to get that stuff off your chest. I did it here: smashwords.com/books/view/1184004
You're right that those who need to hear it will probably never read it, and that's a shame. But that shouldn't stop any of us from shouting our truth from the rooftops regardless.
Great job.
ZL
100000% and all because of sheep thinking things like DIE is a good idea.