My wife is not African-American. My wife is American. A citizen of the United States of America. I am not Irish-American. I am American. A citizen of the United States of America. My wife, like most Americans, has never been to the continent of Africa. I, like most Americans, have never been to Ireland, or indeed to the continent of Europe. I hope someday I can't honestly type either of those, but currently that is the way things are.
I would love to see a poll of this country's more brownly-skinned inhabitants asking the following questions:
(1) Who was Frederick Douglass and how did he impact African-Americans in his early life? Later life? Who were his heroes?
(2) Who was Booker T. Washington and how did he impact African-Americans in his early life? Later life? Who were his heroes?
(3) Who was Nat Turner and how did he impact African-Americans in his early life? Later life? Who were his heroes?
(4) Who was Marcus Garvey and how did he impact African-Americans in his early life? Later life? Who were his heroes?
(5) Who was Hiram Rhoades Revels and how did he impact African-Americans in his early life? Later life? Who were his heroes?
(6) Who was W.E.B. Du Bois and how did he impact African-Americans in his early life? Later life? Who were his heroes?
Odds are, most only know what the month of February has taught them about these men. Likely they don't even know some of these names, men who are personal heroes of mine (despite the fact that I sharply disagree with some of the views held by some of them). Why should a white guy find a hero in a black face? Because that black face belonged to a hero, that's why.
Some have mentioned a lack of heritage. I say: Pure unadulterated BS. The heritage blacks in America have is not from Africa, any more than my heritage is from Ireland. The heritage of black citizens of this country is from these shores; it is vast, and rich, and empowering but goes largely unknown and unappreciated by the majority of blacks in the United States.
Often I do not know the ancestry of my heroes. I know of a smattering of notable US citizens of Irish descent, some noble, some ignoble, some infamous. I know of a smattering of German descendants with the same mix. I know more about notable citizens among black people than I know about any other racial group. I probably know more about black history in the US than 95% of the US population.
In the US, the heritage of black Americans is available to anyone who cares to study it. It is all owing to a special magical place. It is called the "Public Library" and it houses a lot of knowledge.
Irish were enslaved by Norsemen. Are they owed reparations? Am I? Perhaps my great-great-great-great-great-(ad infinitum)-great-grandmother would have had more than four kids if she hadn't been taken away tied in ropes to work fields in Norway. Perhaps she'd have born the child who discovered the Americas. What do you suppose my family is due for missing out on that potential outcome?
Here's a couple of poll questions for any angry blacks on the forum:
(1) (a)Who was offered 40 acres and a mule and (b)did the agent making the offer have the legal authority to make the offer?
(2) Was W.E.B. Du Bois in favor of or opposed to integration of blacks?
(3) Was W.E.B. Du Bois in favor of or opposed to repatriation to Africa?
(4) How many blacks ("Negroes" at the time) were on the original board of the NAACP?
(5) Why did W.E.B. Du Bois leave the NAACP and his editorship of Crisis?
Do you know the heritage you can learn about? If not, why exactly should anyone be bothered by the fact that you can't learn about more heritage?
Just curious.
