Man, as a mod when I see a post titled racism... shivers run down my spine... this has the potential to boil over into a heated mess, and I commend you all for having such an intelligent discourse so far.
America has been described as 'The Great Melting Pot of the World'. We are a fusion of race, culture, and nationality. Like Treaqum and others, I think DEFINING yourself by your ancestry is an incorrect practice, and I'll tell you why, but let me first clarify that I think everyone should be proud of, and celibrate their heritage.
When you hyphenate yourself (African American, German American, so on, so forth), you diminish what it means to BE an american. I believe our for fathers had a vision far greater than even they knew, when they talked about the liberty of Man, they didn't include at the time what they viewed as property, but as elightenment occurs, old dreams take on new meanings, and THAT is an American Principle.
To be an American means you throw out your fear of what is different, and in turn come to accept it, relish it, cherish it. America is strong because of it's differences, but when we define ourselves as individuals by those differences, we weaken ourselves. You start forming pocket communities and cultures that don't see eye to eye, I would argue that there is a greater Gap between Republicans and Democrats than there is between whites and blacks these days, those polictical parties have become cultures unto themselves. ( I could be wrong, and am willing to accept that however!
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I too come from the south, and I can tell you while Racism is alive and well everywhere, I think the traditional view of a 'racist south' is nothing more than small pockets of fear and hatred here, One thing people don't realize, is that Souther America is becoming more and more hispanic, that in some areas, the white majority has become the white minority, that tends to shift perspectives very rapidly. America can not so easily be divided into north and south, as it once was, we are a trans-continental culture, movement and migration is a way of life, most of my closest friends here in san antonio aren't even texans, heck, I am not a Texan by Birth, I come by way of california (where my california mom met my illionois (airforce) dad. My brother and sister while 100% american were born and partially raised in Germany, My mothers family ancestery splits between California and Indianna, My fathers ancestry splits between St. Louis illinois and Romania. Melting Pot.
I often wonder, for those of us that hyphenate ourselves (I would be a German - Romainian - Swiss - British - American (read Mutt) what people who live in those countries or continents would think of us? Would a Man living in the heart of africa understand why an 'african-american' identifies himself as african american? He most certainly identifies himself as congalese, somalian, ethiopian, or some such national identity.
Racism is a horrible mental tradition for some people in america, it doesn't just affect whites, it festers in the heart of every race that has ever walked the face of this earth. I wish I could be alive for the day Racism officially dies, when All Americans consider themselves an "American Race" and beyond, when we all simply call ourselves "Human" or "Residents of Earth". Sadly I think neither of those days will occur in my lifetime. I do know the way there is not through government legislation, political agenda's and so forth, it's by walking out your front door, and talking to your neighbor.