This is America. The land of immigrants. The land of neutralized citizens. The land of courage. The land of freedom. The land of the people.
If this is America, then why must my fellow Americans hyphenate my identity? Why must they brand me as a color that I’m not? Why must they view me as someone of less importance? Don’t tell me it’s because of Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. I have no association with them. They do not represent me. I represent myself.
Why do Americans refuse to understand the origins of race? Why do Americans refuse to understand social constructs? Why do Americans continue the facade that they are patriotic, when they cannot even view the people of this land as equals?
Let’s face it, America: Race doesn’t exist. However, I know most of you cannot accept this truth. You can, though, accept what you’re told by your parents, peers, churches and the media. You can accept baseless myths from the bible. You can accept hearsay as the gospel.
I am tired of Americans calling me an “African-American”. I am tired of Americans calling me “Black”. I am tired of Americans calling me a “minority”. I am tired of correcting Americans on my identity.
I wasn’t born in Africa.
My skin isn’t Black.
I’m not a minority.
I’m an individual.
I’m a man of courage, strength, endurance, intelligence and love.
I’m a human being.
I’m an American.
If you see me on the street or have a conversation with me, please remember this post. I think it’s about time to lay to rest these outdated and baseless beliefs and myths.
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I’ve also grown tired of being put in a pigeonhole. People put an Eastern European label on me, ignore the fact that I was born on the American soil (in fact, the Lenape soil as New Jersey was primarily inhabited by them) and that my Dad was an American. I don’t even bother to explain who I am because most people on this planet are very ignorant when it comes to one’s identity.
I think that we as a humanity still have a long way to go because an individual is perceived by his/her ethnicity, religion, social status. Nobody bothers to ask you who do you really feel inside.
Ronald Lewis – I’m also one of the “hyphenated” individuals born in one country, brought up in another, seeking reconciliation with his identity throughout living in exile in different countries (France, Quebec, U.K. and one day South Africa).
Greetings from London, U.K.
Ronald K.
[...] and waiting to tell me that I’m crazy, delusional or unstable. In my recent posts about not being an African-American and calling for unity in America, the usual crowd circled my blog, throwing darts and chanting, [...]
William: I’d love to hear more about your thoughts regarding Bill Cosby.
Shey: I would agree that I am a minority in THOUGHT, but not in CAPABILITY. I am well aware of racism’s existence — Hence this post and my plea to end social constructs such as race in America.
Anyone who consider themselves a minority is denying themselves the right to prosper and succeed as an individual.
You’re right about race: it doesn’t exist really. It’s a social construct.
Where you’re wrong is that you ARE a minority. A lot of people don’t really understand what that means or really what racism is. Racism is about power-structures in a society — where the majority (the race that holds most of the power) discriminates against the minorities (races that hold the least of the power).
Denying minority status denies racism exists — anyone who says racism doesn’t exist, isn’t paying attention.
Excellent point that I’ve been trying to make for years. Personally, I blame Bill Cosby (though I love the man).