Racism In The Mail

Posted by Larry Miller on March 16, 2010 under How | Be the First to Comment

I don’t often write about the topic of racism as many people attach too much of an emotional component to the topic that it is difficult to discuss it rationally. When those plotting behind the closed doors of the White House hear criticism, their knee-jerk reaction is that the only reason we are not blindly following their beloved leader is that America is basically corrupt and evil and we are not willing to follow a minority President. They somehow miss the fact that many of us hold Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in the same low regard as the President. However, letting the facts get in the way would negate their favorite charge.

Where we do see racially based data collection, distinction and analysis is in our census form. I was fortunate enough not to get the long form that wants to know how many toilets I have and how often I use them, but I did get the short form which I found quite offensive. Unfortunately, being a white Christian of European descent, my opinions are of absolutely no consequence to those currently in power. However like most similar people, I have too many important things on my plate to carry on endlessly about the unfairness of our government and society.

This time, however, I shall speak up. At a time when our country needs unity more than ever, and from an administration that said it would bring us together, we do not need to encourage people to see themselves broken down into eighteen competing racial groups with a miscellaneous category thrown in for good measure. The citizens of this great country are all Americans. We need to see ourselves as Americans. Not even as hyphenated Americans… that, too, is a divisive view of our population.

I would submit that those who come to our shores legally should strive, not just to become citizens, but to become Americans. This is not to say that they ignore and forsake their native cultures, but if they are living in our world, it should be their primary focus. My background is primarily German with some English and American Indian ancestry. Yet my identity is American, not German-American.

As I look over the form, I see four distinct Latino groups… even though the form itself says that “Hispanic origins are not races”. Yet they want to know if people came from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba or some other undefined region. What difference does it make? If they are here legally, our constitution, and our creator, says we are all equal in society… and under the law.

If I were given to cynicism, I would find this valuable campaign information. Cubans who have lived under Castro’s authoritarian dictatorship have a far different view of life than those living under the corruption of Mexico. Beyond this, for a political movement whose lifeblood is segmentation and conflict instigation, this information is not only helpful, it is vital.

While much of our population is trying to live in a world, where race is a non-issue, our community organizer in chief and his henchmen are intent on rubbing our noses in these differences and exploiting them to the fullest. Legitimate uses of the census data does not include breaking us up into smaller groups that can easily be manipulated for the benefit of those in power. We need to be counted but to play the rest of their game is an individual decision.