Many times it is not the people doing this, but the media and 
government agencies. I guess it makes it easier to keep track of 
folks. When the racial classifications started, it was the government 
quantifying people. After all, even Americus Vespucci, was not 
American (smile). 

Anita 




-- J S Freeman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
On 5/21/07, J S Freeman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Greetings:
>
> I was referring to the use of hyphenations for certain groups of
> Americans.  Are we not all Americans?  We can be proud of our 
ancestries but
> do we need to quantify things by labeling things Asian-American or
> European-American?  Theodore Roosevelt had some very interesting 
things to
> say about such ideas.  Label when necessary but going too far down 
that road
> begins to cast one group against another as if we are not all 
Americans.
> The history of black Americans and American Indians is AMERICAN 
history and
> should be part of the whole not looked at as something apart as if 
it is in
> a vaccuum.
>
> Regarding St Patrick, that technically is a religious holiday, 
though the
> Irish have adopted it as an ethnic holiday.  If you are not Irish 
or Roman
> Catholic, I see no reason to celebrate it but I guess it is a 
harmless
> pasttime if you do.  The melting pot of this wonderful country has 
made it
> an American holiday.
>
> Regarding Cinco de Mayo, what is the reason Americans should 
celebrate
> it?  This is a day that celebrates a Mexican political event; I 
would not
> object if it were truly a cultural festival but I dont expect the 
British to
> celebrate Independence Day on the Fourth of July so I dont see the 
point of
> celebrating of Cinco de Mayo, or Dominion Day, the Candian holiday 
on July
> 1.
>
> I believe in ultimate freedom so I do not believe we should deny 
anyone
> the right to celebrate whatever they wish.  But teaching Cinco de 
Mayo, or
> Kwanzaa- a total fraud of a cultural festival- when we should be 
teaching
> American history strikes me as folly and a waste of time.
>
> Your obedient servant
> JS Freeman
>
>
>
>
>
> On 5/21/07, Jane Steele <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > To what hyphenated labels are you referring to?  And if we can 
celebrate
> > St. Patrick's Day can we as well celebrate holidays that all 
immigrants to
> > this country hold dear or should we just go with the traditional 
ones and
> > leave minorities out?  Please explain yourself.  After all St. 
Patrick was a
> > slave for a while during his lifetime just as Richard Popular 
was.  Jane
> > Steele.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > >From: J S Freeman <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: May 21, 2007 12:04 AM
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
> > >
> > >I agree with your general concern about the political 
correctness that
> > is
> > >infecting too many sectors of our society.  There is no reason 
why
> > Cinco de
> > >Mayo (which has nothing to do with America)  or Kwanzaa (a total 
fraud
> > >invented by a murderer) should be taught in schools.
> > >
> > >I would respectfully disagree about Harriett Tubman.  The point 
is to
> > teach
> > >history in all its complexities,  not package things for certain
> > audiences.
> > >Black history needs to be integrated into American history- 
which it
> > IS- and
> > >not taught as something in a vaccuum.
> > >
> > >A good example is the way Petersburg celebrates the many 
sacrifices and
> > >contributions of Richard Poplar, a black gentleman who was 
recognized
> > and
> > >lauded as a Confederate soldier and hero.  This may upset some
> > individuals'
> > >idea of what "should be" but the complexities and ironies in 
history
> > are
> > >often the most exciting discoveries.
> > >
> > >I agree with the comments of Ms Steele but those hypenated 
labels need
> > to
> > >go.
> > >
> > >Jay
> > >
> > >
> > >On 5/20/07, [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> You PC historians reap what you sow.  You spend time  teaching 
this
> > PC
> > >> history that "celebrates" such nonsense in American  History 
such as
> > >> Harriet Tubman,
> > >> Cinco De Mayo and Kwanzaa, and then are upset  when Americans 
can't
> > recite
> > >> the reasons behind the Fourth of July or Declaration  of
> > Independence.
> > >>
> > >> How about that human "global warming".
> > >>
> > >> J South
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> ************************************** See what's free at
> > >> http://www.aol.com.
> > >>
> >
> >
> > Lillian Jane Steele
> >
>
>