I am a white U.S. American. My ethnicities are French Canadian, Syrian, and Irish. I can look back at my life and see the effect of these ethnicities on my family and our lifestyle. My Irish Canadian Grandmother from the Maritime cooked Chowders- Fish, Clam, and Corn. She had to have a cup of tea and a cookie in the afternoon. My Quebecois Grandfather elected to not teach his kids the Quebecois tongue. My Syrian Grandmother was a daily presence in my early years and did most of the cooking in my house. I grew up eating staples such Dolma, Fresh baked Syrian bread(Pita) from the Syrian bakery, a savory lamb stew with green beans and rosemary and the ever present lentils and rice. I learned from her sisters how to say Merry Christmas in Syrian Arabic for a school project. I learned that New Years Eve is celebrated in Quebec with Cognac and Crepes.
Notice how my "white" culture is based on three ethnicities. Something that is taken for granted in white culture. How many Black Americans who are descendants of slaves can point to their familial ethnic roots? Can these Black Americans easily say "I am Malinese, Ugandan, and Ethiopian"? Can they say "My Grandmother used to cook Ethiopian food"? If they can it was a struggle to maintain those identities for all those centuries and have them handed down to this day. Can Latinos from Mexico easily say I am Mayan, Yaqui, and Apache." Maybe. The dominant language and religion of Mexico is European. The surnames of ancient Mexico are gone and replaced by European names.
So, how is my "white" culture under attack? My cultures are under attack from white supremacists who are putting "white" culture under one umbrella. They are creating a false "white" identity washed clean of its ethnic diversity. Gone are the Polish and Portuguese foods. The Greek dances are gone. The many languages of the British Isles - gone under the Uber-language of English. The white supremacists of today are attempting to do to my ethnic backgrounds what the slaveholders did to slaves brought to New Orleans and the Catholic Conquerors did to the diverse cultures of Mexico and the American Southwest. They are attempting to eradicate my culture.
Notice how my "white" culture is based on three ethnicities. Something that is taken for granted in white culture. How many Black Americans who are descendants of slaves can point to their familial ethnic roots? Can these Black Americans easily say "I am Malinese, Ugandan, and Ethiopian"? Can they say "My Grandmother used to cook Ethiopian food"? If they can it was a struggle to maintain those identities for all those centuries and have them handed down to this day. Can Latinos from Mexico easily say I am Mayan, Yaqui, and Apache." Maybe. The dominant language and religion of Mexico is European. The surnames of ancient Mexico are gone and replaced by European names.
So, how is my "white" culture under attack? My cultures are under attack from white supremacists who are putting "white" culture under one umbrella. They are creating a false "white" identity washed clean of its ethnic diversity. Gone are the Polish and Portuguese foods. The Greek dances are gone. The many languages of the British Isles - gone under the Uber-language of English. The white supremacists of today are attempting to do to my ethnic backgrounds what the slaveholders did to slaves brought to New Orleans and the Catholic Conquerors did to the diverse cultures of Mexico and the American Southwest. They are attempting to eradicate my culture.
God thinks it's fun to confuse primates. Larsen's God!
