you need to read your posts, and those of others, a bit more carefully
Okay, X. I have re-read your post carefully, and added some boldings:
but feel free to keep those rose colored glasses on
just pardon me while I laugh
The voices of the people in this land have been as varied as the people who live here
that's why we had the Japanese internment, and the bashing of Japanese and German
Americans
that is why we had McCarthyism
that is why we have all kinds of racial bigotry today
it isn't just about whites- there is racial prejudice enough to go around for everyone
it is about deriving a sense of self from group identity, and using group identity to become
less decent, less charitable, and less just to people who are not a member of your group
The people on this thread, and even more importantly on other threads where hatred is
more obvious, and more blatant, exemplify the freedom of thought that is America. One of our most cherished freedoms has been the freedom to hate (always has been, and imo
always will be- human nature being what it is).
The central theme of your of your post, as I read it, is that America is filled with hatred, and always been been. I disagree strongly with that. Briefly:
"McCarthyism" was not about hate. It was about ridding our government of Communists, whether misguided in retrospect, or not.
No nation that is or ever was (and our nation is its people) has striven harder to eliminate racial bigotry.
The Japanese-American internment was not about hatred, it was about war-time security ... again, whether misguided or not in in retrospect
If J/As or German-Americans were "bashed" during WW11, who did the bashing? Can you cite some examples of where and when these incidents occurred?
All kinds of racial bigotry? Enough for everyone? In a land of affirmative action, equal -opportunity laws, hate-crime laws, anti-discrimination laws in hiring, housing, etc., a land where you can be imprisoned for using the "N" word, a land where we have two blacks as cabinet members and one on the Supreme Court ... just where do you see all this bigotry?
One of our most cherished freedoms is the freedom to hate? Is that consistent with the laws I mentioned above? Do you know of any other nation which has done more to eliminate hatred and its consequences?
Perhaps you draw a distinction between the American people and their government. Are you suggesting that while Americans are filled with hate, somehow a fascist kind of government has imposed all these laws on its people against their will?
I have no idea how you feel about your homeland, other than what I can infer from your description of it as bolded above. You may love your country as much or more than I do. Your characterizations are yours, and they speak for themselves. My opinion, which is one man's only and counts for very little, is that, if you do love your country, you have a funny way of showing it. |
