Originally Posted by scgator
I think that you will find, if you do the research, that most (if not all) people have been persecuted or enslaved. Let's not forget the "NO DOGS OR IRISH" signs at the end of the 19th century when the potato famine caused a mass Irish migration. My great-grandmother came over at that time and said she could not go into most places. She had to go around back, use different facilities, etc. (sound familiar?).
Let's also not forget that most slaves were sold into slavery by other africans, either as prisoners of tribal wars or by their own tribe.
The problem is that we, as a nation, have forgotten that our greatest strength can also be our greatest weakness. Our diversity should not be used to divide us, but to unite us. It's a shame that we think of ourselves as seperate races instead of AMERICANS. I challenge ANYONE to prove to me that our differences are more than superficial. I bet that your blood is as red as mine. Do you hurt when insulted? WOW so do I. Oh, wait my eyes are blue, hair brown, skin white...that must mean that I'm special, right? BULLSH_T! All it really means is that I get sunburned easier than my brothers that have more melonin.
The reason we study the past IS TO LEARN NOT TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES! Not to chew on regurgitated old hurts or wrongs.
I better stop here before my blood pressure gets up any further. Just so you know my lineage is 25% Cherokee (Trail of Tears), 25% Irish. The rest is a majority Scottish borderlands (see Braveheart for details of English oppression) with a smattering of Dutch to round it out. If we look at it most of us have SEVERAL ancestors that were persecuted. Our ancestors came to the United States to get away from persecution, not to have their sons and daughters WALLOW in it!
Sorry for the length...I got carried away.
Very well said! I totally agree!
That is one major reason why I am against the new season of "Survivor". Rather than bringing everyone together, they are segregating all the races and making everyone againt everyone of another race. I think that is exactly the opposite of what needs to happen in American. Americans need to come together as Americans. Not as white Americans, or African Americans, or Asian Americans. We are all one people in this country.