American Heritage Month Only!
I want to first make the statement so there is NO COMPREHENSION problem and I do not get wrongly accused of hate speech or discrimination.
This article is my personal opinion and I desire readers not to jump to conclusion or get upset until you read the entire article and think about what I have put forward for consideration.
I would like Congress to remove all dedicated months and weeks for heritage or appreciation for groups of people. Remove Hispanic Heritage Month, African American Heritage Month and so on. This not that I do not appreciate the contribution of these groups of people but I do think it promotes segregation. I believe we are all Americans regardless of where our roots come from. America is a blend of many races and nationalities. I understand traditions and beliefs that pass down as they should. We should be proud of all who have made inventions and discoveries, authored books, stood for civil liberties but why separate them from others based on ethnic background?
The fact is they should be taught and mentioned as most are in our American History books. Let us remove the ethnic or race before claiming to be American. I know some readers are upset maybe at this point but please think about it. Are we not teaching separation by even referring to someone as Hispanic instead of American or next time what about their name. Why have sub-categories of Americans in this nation?
Next time you refer to someone think about what you say…might take a few generations of Americans but it should start with our government having declared heritage months removed. They are Americans and let the heritage be included not separated.
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Comments: 33 ( 9 removed by Donald C. )
I am the first child in my family born in America...my grand parents grew up in Poland and survived Hitler. They traveled from Poland to Italy to England to South America to Canada and finally to America!
Every child should feel proud of their heritage no matter where they live...and America IS the great melting pot.
Besides I do not think that taking away national heritage months will change the problems of this country...namely BUSH, 9 trillion $$ deficit, unemployment, no health care, homelessness, veteran's issues, gas prices, etc.
(ok now it is your turn NOT to be mad ;-)
PAY IT FORWARD
Juan-Maybe you are right and we should go back to segration in schools should be based on subclasses of Americans.. African American only schools, Asian American schools... the concept to continue to divide and place importance on the diferences is wrong..
Francis- I have noticed a tone to your comments....
We must learn about the development of institutions, the laws, and the democratic values that all Americans share reguardless of our ancestors, whatever their race, ethnic group, or gender are all part of the common nation we call teh United States of America. I do not see the need to further seperate
The increasing diversity of the American population makes the need for unifying ideals and a common culture even more urgent in this republic.
Francis- Also refrain from using cussing in my articles in the future. If you can not express yourself as an adult then do not comment.
Donald, yea that is exactlly what I meant. LOL!!
Francis- Your the one who appears stuck in our past-Ignorance is assuming all are less educated then you. Unlike your claims, current text by far does not make Custer a hero, and Heros and History doesnt have to be blacks, white, anglos, natives..but all were Americans and thus not segrated further. Yes, these people are important but does the race or heritage make them more important then any other man or woman?
Lt. Colonel Custer was celebrated as an American hero- well by who? He was a Civil War Hero..but then again history can be seen differently depending how one approaches it.
You can focus American Heritage several ways and within it, it INCLUDES ALL AMERICANS..but to give special months to groups, and not all groups are represented by these, it thus builds what it should prevent. During say a school month, Hispanic Heritage Month what about the Slavics? Do you think they might feel left out, or during the Black Heritage Month..what about the Scandavians?
Francis- I do not want to forget but comes a point when we need become one nation and stop keeping the wounds of the past fresh. The scar will always be there as a marker but unless you want to keep America on its back and that includes everyone we have to treat everyone the same, easier done as Americans then dividing us further.
Francis comments can be found here-Deleted for profanity
http://comeuppance.gather.com
Please explain American Heritage Donald. What are the important points to American Heritage? The reason why we celebrate sub-group Heritage is because great wrongs have been done to these subgroups including enslavement, attempted genocide, broken treaties, @$$imilation, and now you want to annihilate the recognition they recieve from coming so far from this. These are all very distinct aspects of American Heritage. To show that we are not @$$holes and that we have moved beyond our bloody past we celebrate these embattled groups individually. Obviously some of us haven't moved beyond anything.
Somehow Donald, I don't think it is profanity that you are bothered by.
Please explain American Heritage Donald. What are the important points to American Heritage? The reason why we celebrate sub-group Heritage is because great wrongs have been done to these subgroups including enslavement, attempted genocide, broken treaties, @$$imilation, and now you want to annihilate the recognition they recieve from coming so far from this. These are all very distinct aspects of American Heritage. To show that we are not thoroughly contemptible, detestable people and that we have moved beyond our bloody past we celebrate these embattled groups individually. Obviously some of us haven't moved beyond anything.
Please explain American Heritage Donald. What are the important points to American Heritage? The reason why we celebrate sub-group Heritage is because great wrongs have been done to these subgroups including enslavement, attempted genocide, broken treaties, @$$imilation, and now you want to annihilate the recognition they recieve from coming so far from this. These are all very distinct aspects of American Heritage. To show that we are not buttholes and that we have moved beyond our bloody past we celebrate these embattled groups individually. Obviously some of us haven't moved beyond anything.
It's not enough for you that we are indoctrinated with American Heritage in our public schools which mostly focuses on Anglo-American heritage. This nation has been very racist in the not so distant past, and minority children were growing up not knowing the significant roles their peoples had played in the development of this nation. They had a significant lack of historical heroes they were aware of. Until recently Lt. Colonel Custer was celebrated as an American hero. Today we think twice about celebrating a man whose job it was to slaughter Native-Americans. White Supremecist's need to know that a black man was responsible for synthesizing penicillin. This brilliant biochemist had to complete his studies at Oxford because no American University would allow him to teach white students. I would not have known this if it weren't for Black History Month. If you focus on this from a Black History perspective you can celebrate a hero. If you focus on this from an American Heritage perspective, you see a great man held back because of racism who could have done so much more if Americans weren't so ignorant. Would you rather focus on the heroism or the ignorance? Or is it worse? Is it that you really want to forget?
As to Lt. Col. Custer, there is a monument built to his last stand telling his side of the story. Will the celebration of American Heritage celebrate Cheif Sitting Bull as a great leader fighting for the survival of his people although his fight for survival killed American soldiers in self-defense?
Far as children not knowing, that I blame on children not desiring to learn. I see no black or asian or indian who needs more attention because of ethnics background then that of whites. We are, and they were all Americans and should be mentioned as Americans in history. Firsts, I can understand but again, in American History reguardless of blood lines.
Francis-"public schools which mostly focuses on Anglo-American heritage"
How wrong are you? TOTAL- Seems hard if every month there is another focas and what about the many minorities that are left out// It appears to me its more people who want racial and ethic divide who desire multi-heritage months then to INCLUDE EVERYONE in then EXCLUDE everyone else.....
Francis-Civil Rights movement was to include and remove stigmas yet your gioing and proving reverse discimination as the answer..so basicly you want revenge for the past and not forgiveness, you want the poor white boys to be the minority right...sure
Francis-I see you like to think of all the wrongs in history done by teh United States but yet its part of YOUR HERITAGE> oh yes..Being American is about admitting the wrongs and rights and if your truely American..then your just as guilty.
I do not censor but I do delete profanity and that child is what I had done to your comments.
Francis the more you argue the more you prove my point on not having seperate months so I welcome your further proving my point. If it took a national heritage month for you to learn some history great...maybe if it was American Heritage you might learn about all the other Americans who contributed to the history of our nation for good and bad. Maybe more then just the limited situations like Custer being bad but also some of the other parts of his military career and the reason he was promoted so quickly even though normaly history would have sent him home after West Point. To comprehend the entire story you need often to know the other side and then the full strory is told. You can focus on how bad it was for black but without understanding the reasoning slavery was used and honestly without it how the US may have failed in the early days(not condoning).
Francis how old are you?
This is certainly an indication why we need these heritage months. MANIFEST DESTINY- do you know what that is? Some thinkers pushed the idea that the US was mandated by God to conquer the continent "from sea to shining sea" as we say. As for Native-Americans killing settlers, what exactly would you do if a genocidal racist civilization was killing your people and taking away your land because they thought you were unworthy of humanity in the eyes of their god? You don't even like it when undocumented workers come over to do the jobs that you wouldn't even have your children do. You'd scalp every settler you saw. Who were the illegal aliens back then?
Far as children not knowing, that I blame on children not desiring to learn. I see no black or asian or indian who needs more attention because of ethnics background then that of whites. We are, and they were all Americans and should be mentioned as Americans in history. Firsts, I can understand but again, in American History reguardless of blood lines.
Where were these children supposed to learn this information when all the libraries, schools, television shows were all made by white people? There's nothing wrong with white people telling their stories, but they tended not to focus on other peoples' contributions. A black man was responsible for the synthesis of penicillin- Did I learn that in the Public School curriculum or did I learn that from Black History Month? The first Thanksgiving Dinner was the celebration of the conquering of an Native-American tribe with the help of another and not the Disneyfied story taught in Public Schools- Did I learn that in Public School or did I learn that from a Native-American Heritage moment?
Francis-"public schools which mostly focuses on Anglo-American heritage"
How wrong are you? TOTAL- Seems hard if every month there is another focas and what about the many minorities that are left out// It appears to me its more people who want racial and ethic divide who desire multi-heritage months then to INCLUDE EVERYONE in then EXCLUDE everyone else.....
That's what should be taught in the public schools, but it's not, and that's why these heritage months make sense. I strongly believe that these heritage months are largely responsible for the drop in racism, and the eradication of these would only bring comfort to racists.
Francis-Civil Rights movement was to include and remove stigmas yet your gioing and proving reverse discimination as the answer..so basicly you want revenge for the past and not forgiveness, you want the poor white boys to be the minority right...sure
Nice try. You were probably against Civil Rights too weren't you? Admit it, you were. You accuse me of wanting revenge, but tell me what is wrong with JUSTICE? Jews faced extermination and they were given a nation. Native-Americans faced just as terrible a fate and they were given the worst swafts of land in the country.
Francis-I see you like to think of all the wrongs in history done by teh United States but yet its part of YOUR HERITAGE> oh yes..Being American is about admitting the wrongs and rights and if your truely American..then your just as guilty.
I understand that I live with the fruits of genocide and exploitation, but I still know right from wrong. I believe in social justice and that you cannot have equality without it.
I do not censor but I do delete profanity and that child is what I had done to your comments.
As long as it is convenient.
Francis the more you argue the more you prove my point on not having seperate months so I welcome your further proving my point. If it took a national heritage month for you to learn some history great...maybe if it was American Heritage you might learn about all the other Americans who contributed to the history of our nation for good and bad. Maybe more then just the limited situations like Custer being bad but also some of the other parts of his military career and the reason he was promoted so quickly even though normaly history would have sent him home after West Point. To comprehend the entire story you need often to know the other side and then the full strory is told. You can focus on how bad it was for black but without understanding the reasoning slavery was used and honestly without it how the US may have failed in the early days(not condoning).
Donald, the only you are proving is your ignorance. I got the other side of the story in the regular public school curriculum. That's what these heritage months are for- giving both sides of the story, and an American Heritage Month Only can not do half as well of informing as several deeply focused Heritage celebrations. Getting all the Heritages and putting them into one is a process called assimillation which is not a process you are allowed to enforce on anyone.
It seems to me that American Heritage Only Month without the other months would only take away from each other heritage without giving a full picture and you don't have to be a genius to figure that out. You'll certainly get the White Supermacist vote and I don't even have to tell you why.
Francis how old are you?
I am 30 years old and not very long out of college with an unending thirst for knowledge and the one thing I want to do with my life is end ignorance. How old are you?
You claim to be 30 years old, so that being true, you also know the modern text books are far from teh 70's. I also have been on school boards reviewing text and assisting in choosing the new books and you have no clue how far off you are in mentioning these things. But I guess its your lack on conection to modern education verses that of 20 years ago. American Heritage and AMerican History are slightly different. Learning about General Custer is historical verses American Heritage goes to learning about where we come from, cultural traditions, and such. They do interexchange..however, assumilation allows for people learning new traditions and allows teh melting pot effect.
Francis-White Supermacist ? Racist comment agan
Francis-Your ethnocentrism shows and is promoted by having segrated months which furthers provokes this. I tend to desire more of a functionalism turn and even though our American exceptionalism is bad..it is factual.
Not sure why anyone would want to exclude other or anyone..and that is exactly what promoting one over another for a month does. Having been in classrooms and having this very question asked by elementary children.
Francis-Stop promoting continued hate.
You are historically correct, Francis.
Donald fnds this objectionable?
Fascism demands the subordination of every other identity to the mythologized National Identity.
The surest safeguard of freedom is lots of people with lots of allegiances to lots of things.
That is scary to frightened and timid folks, like those who censor comments of those who disagree with them.
Peter-Only an idiot would take what I mentioned to be anything but inclusion as a nation, a citizen of this nation and equaly represented. But then again, Peter, you could not comprehend this because it doesnt get the headlines like you want..you want to call it what it is not.
Problem is people take part on an idea and not comprehend and and call it something it is not. But that happens often why people fear things.
Francis-You mentioned you studied College level history in highschool and are 30. Still places at best the text over a decade old..and text have changed drasticly and continue to change.
Time to move forward and stop allowing our divided past to keep the nation fighting ghosts.
Francis- Sorry but I still am in college and continue my education and call me son all you like, boy. Please, when you learn to rationalize your opinions and stop the hating you will see hate and racism isnt the answer.