I am a racist because I didn't go to the annual african-American festival.

I am a racist because I didn't go to the annual irish-American festival.

I am a racist because I didn't go to the annual mexican-American festival.

I am a racist because I didn't go to the annual ..........etc, etc, etc.

Because we (Americans) choose to recognize our ethnic heritage we will always have racism.
Lets say your car breaks down on the road. There are two houses of equal distance from your car. Blacks live in one and whites live in another. Which house will you go to for help.

I don't think there's anything wrong with somebody being proud of there ethnic heritage. But as for me. I'm American first. And there's to many interesting things to do in this world to worry, practice, or re-live the wrongs of the past.
When we (Americans) decide to drop the these practices and decide to become just Americans, I believe things will improve. I'm not saying we won't have differences. But at least we will have eliminated one of them.

I'm not against a group of people having a festival for their ethnicity. But as for me, if I was to go to the irish-American festival I will hear all about how the irish where/are treated because of...................whatever. I don't need to hear that. I'm not in Ireland. And the Choctaw indians (mothers side) that were push out of their lands should concern me.
What's done is done. I'm an American first, and that's it.

If we speak good english and treat each other with respect, the golden rule, we shouldn't have any problems. But in this case, it is because we choose to remember the past that makes us repeat the future.

Because of all the above, we are all racist. The only cure we have is that we try not to be.

__________________
Before the sun goes down. Someone in this world will be shot. Don't let it be you.

None of those actions (actually lacks of action) are racist. It would be racist if you went to one to heckle racial slurs at the people there or decided one had the right to have a festival but not another.

You do not have to deny your heritage to not be racist. You can recognize your heritage and be proud of it while not looking down on other ethnicities. You can still judge people as individuals rather than by race.

Depends. If one side is a ghetto with dilapidated housing and gang graffiti and a lot of youth loitering and glaring at oncomers and the other side is a nice suburb with well-kept houses and a friendlier atmosphere, guess which one I'll choose. If the suburb is black and the ghetto white, I'm going to go to the black neighborhood. People often get race mixed up with other factors that often correlate with race for other reasons.

I agree mostly. But I don't think its necessary to give up heritage festivals to be American first.

There's nothing wrong with learning history from another viewpoint. Though it might be better to also learn it from others. What is done has been done due to a history that we can learn from.

What is good English? I agree it's good for us to have a standard language to keep us on the same page... but should immigrants who are learning the language be frowned upon because their English is not spoken well? They are trying.
And it is not remembering the past that makes us racists. It is interpreting the past in a racist manner or determining that the past must always repeat itself in the future. Knowing the past helps us to avoid repeating it.

Doesn't hurt to try not to be... but I still don't see how we are all racists. Based on what you wrote here, I don't even see any compelling evidence that you are racist.

__________________
"Man lives in the sunlit world of that which he believes to be reality. But unseen by most is an underworld, a place that is just as real... but not as brightly lit... A DARK SIDE!"
-opening from Tales From the Darkside

How is not going to a festival make you racist. A racist is a person who think a race is superior to another or a person who makes degrogatory comments about a race of ppl.

Like Java said, it depend on what house. If the white guy live in a broke down house and blk guy lives in nice house I'm going to the blk guy for help.

You have point but can't someone be proud to be an American and still represent there heritage. I think it ignorance more than anything else that cause friction between ppl in this country.

I think your looking at the wrong way. The reason ppl reflect on these is to prevent future discrimination and to show ourselve how much society has advance and how much improvement is still needed.

Your not a racist b/c racism is something totally different.

__________________
In the land of the blind, the man with one eye is the king
- Nas

Are you telling me you never said a racist remark?

I didn't through in the ghetto, or any other "Depends" Just two houses and one broke down car. That's it. If you want to through in extras then you'll answer a completely different question. Answer it to your satisfaction.

This is America. The big melting pot. It just dosen't seem to going very well. I'll agree it's better than it was. All the ideas to end racism just seem to pi$$ off one group or another in someway shape or form. All I'm saying, if there was ever a reason to stop bringing up past wrongs. I would do it in this category. That's all.

I'm irish/indian. But I am American first. Another words American Indian? sounds allot better than Indian American anyway. I don't think it would be two hard to get used to saying American Irish.

And No. I wouldn't bash a mexican for not knowing English. As long as he'/they are trying. But I would if he lived here for 4-5 years and he's holding up the line because he can't say "Ice Cream" yet.

We will never know if what I wrote about will work.
Will we?

__________________
Before the sun goes down. Someone in this world will be shot. Don't let it be you.

Not except in a string of obscenity aimed at no one in particular. At that point it had no actual meaning. My parents on the other hand...

In that case, it doesn't matter. Either house.

Unfortunately past wrongs have had an effect. It's important that they be viewd as historical events though rather than reasons to hold grudges.

__________________
"Man lives in the sunlit world of that which he believes to be reality. But unseen by most is an underworld, a place that is just as real... but not as brightly lit... A DARK SIDE!"
-opening from Tales From the Darkside

I know that "Your not a racist for not going to a festival" Yes, this I know.

Awhile ago some friends of mine, of color, long story short. "Hey Mac, you coming to the African American festival?" "No" I said. "Going fishing"
"What's the matter, you can't party with our kind?" It was jokingly said and that's how I took it.

But before that happened I did go to one irish American festival. And it turned in to a bit of a (*)(*)(*)(*)(*) and cry me a river time. You will have those that blame every race for everything. And it's forever.

I'm in the military and I still get the "Whitey owes me" talk. Jokingly. But it doest get to you. I tell them, "My father side wasn't here for the slavery and my mothers side (Indian) lost everything too.
Sometimes, even though it's presented in a kidding manner. It still gets to ya. And you git the feeling the conversation could go either way if you don't watch your toung.


I'm sick of listing to all of it.

It would be nice if we could just drop the racial heritage thing. be Americans 1st, and just go fishing for a day.


I know every race had/has a ruff go of it.

__________________
Before the sun goes down. Someone in this world will be shot. Don't let it be you.