Please help stop the us-them thinking. Having been born in the United States of America, I am an “American.” I have no other citizenship (and I do not wish for other citizenship). My differences from every other person are vast - for I am unique as any other - and, I enjoy the camaraderie of those whose experiences have crossed mine if only for support in growing through them or in understanding the challenges to overcome.
Thus I might participate in religions, clubs, fraternities, or etc. I might study countries from which my ancestors fled. I could find affiliation with others of the same history. I might find interest in philosophies and in cultures and I might take on qualities of them... Yet I am American. Not Artistic-American or Catholic-American or Purple-American or ... I am what America is. Blended together and still pure in it's unity. American.
Too often people call themselves Asian-American, African-American, Mexican-American, Latin-American, Caucasian-American - when they are native to the USA by birth, or when they are citizens of this country by choice - and not citizens of another country or nation.
These distinctions separate the citizens of the USA rather than uniting them, and this perpetuates us-them thinking. If you have dual citizenship, then by all means hyphenate the countries-nationalities … otherwise … let us be "one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
We are a country like a blended family ... Yours, Mine, Ours ... Ours. Let us cherish the common threads and respect the individuality that makes the USA so interesting. People of color - red, white, and blue.
Thus I might participate in religions, clubs, fraternities, or etc. I might study countries from which my ancestors fled. I could find affiliation with others of the same history. I might find interest in philosophies and in cultures and I might take on qualities of them... Yet I am American. Not Artistic-American or Catholic-American or Purple-American or ... I am what America is. Blended together and still pure in it's unity. American.
Too often people call themselves Asian-American, African-American, Mexican-American, Latin-American, Caucasian-American - when they are native to the USA by birth, or when they are citizens of this country by choice - and not citizens of another country or nation.
These distinctions separate the citizens of the USA rather than uniting them, and this perpetuates us-them thinking. If you have dual citizenship, then by all means hyphenate the countries-nationalities … otherwise … let us be "one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
We are a country like a blended family ... Yours, Mine, Ours ... Ours. Let us cherish the common threads and respect the individuality that makes the USA so interesting. People of color - red, white, and blue.
Labels: A Nation Created Under the Laws of Nature's God, American, art of living, co-exist
posted by Tamara at 4:25 PM
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