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Monday, April 13, 2015

Eliminating Racial Labels

This will be the shortest post I've ever written. Short and to the point, intended to provoke discussion and reflection.

We need to dispense with labeling a man, or woman, African American.
As long as we label anyone as African we perpetuate the wall of separation between culture and sub-cultures.

They are Americans period! WE are Americans!

Sure, there exists a separate ethnicity just as those of Asian, European, or Middle Eastern origins have their own ethnicity consisting of tradition, food, learned behavior and so forth. Yet we never, or rarely, label someone a European American, Middle Eastern American, or Asian American. It's more accurate and harmonious to state that we are Americans with family origins from such and such a country.

What we do by labeling a man as African American, is to remind everyone of the tragedy of slavery in American history, and further psychological segregation instead of promoting psychological and practical reconciliation and integration. At some point we all have to acknowledge past failures but move forward toward future successes and integration.

I challenge you to begin thinking in these terms. If a black, brown, or white person is born in America, then we can't be European American, Hispanic American. or African American. 
We are natural born citizens of America and are legally American.

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