Very good point. I just find myself frustrated with the use of hypens in describing people as if some groups are not fully American. I am willing to admit that it is a pet peeve and I can be a little touchy about it. Ancestry matters but we are all Americans... Regards, Jay On 5/21/07, Anita Wills <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > 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 > > > > > > > >