This is my second month in the United States, well, in Miami, Florida (some think it is not really part of the Union), and I have already said that, although I once lived here, I found things totally different…
But today I…not wanting to get into politics or religion…will say that I am beyond shocked that things such as abortion rights, gun control and the safety of people are things that are in question, lacking, and surely more in need of in these here United States.
Massacres, gun violence, racism, bigotry, classism, waste, all these things seem to describe the US at the present time. How can one political party blame the other one when both contemplate and adhere to supposed «White Supremacy»? And hasn’t there always been White supremacy? It is in Europe, and not because we are all white, but because that is part of our history. I am not making a judgement, or saying that it is right, it just is.
Now, how can one political party, let’s say the more liberal one, accuse the other one of systemic racism when they call American Indians «Native Americans»? That is a made-up, anti-historical name. There are no «native» Americans. All the Indian peoples from Canada to the Patagonia arrived here by crossing the Bearing Straits when that was frozen over. At least in Canada they call them something appropriate like «First Nations».
Should there be a serious effort to end racism in the United States, it should start with the government itself and the best way is not to call people «White», «African American», «Hispanic», «Native» or «People of Colour.» First of all, none of those names mean anything. There is no such thing as an «African American», and no such thing as a «Hispanic», or «Native», and what the hell is a person «of colour»? The US government should be advised that a «Hispanic» is a person born in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain), not in any country in America.
From an individual point of view, people can call themselves, or others, whatever they want, but the government should call its citizens simply United States citizens, (Americans if they like), or US nationals, nothing more. And folk from other countries of America, should be called by what they are, for example: Colombians, Cubans, Argentinians. They are not «Latino» (what the hell is that?), they are not «Hispanic» (they were not born in Spain), they have a nationality, please respect it.
Now there does not seem to be much racism against Europeans, but once there was, especially against the Irish and the Italians, although Germans and others suffered, to a lesser extent, as well. How did it end? Well, it was shifted to Whites against Blacks and some of these immigrants joined in. And I am waxing on…and on…because of the recent shootings that have taken place in this country. Those two recent ones are now part of a long list of racist killings and frankly I cannot understand why the government of a country like the US allows a twenty-one year old person to purchase a handgun, a rifle, or much worse, an assault rifle!
So, in conclusion, you cannot teach children that it is wrong to be prejudiced, that it is even worse to be racist and that we are all equal and the same, when you are constantly affirming those differences. People born in the US are not the only «White» people in the world, or even in America. You find White people in most countries south of the border. You also find Blacks, Indians, and Middle Easterners (who can also be white or black) and Orientals. Basically in those countries of Central and South America you find the same melting pot as in the United States. Then if racism is to be stopped, stop differentiating people because of their colour, because of their origins, or because of the way they comb their hair.
Cheers…
JaZzArt en València 