I want to bring to your attention that social issues intersect. The intersectionality of issues demonstrates critical thought by recognizing patterns of behavior and societal themes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_racism
Kind of like the way all of the trash from Manhattan gets dumped in front of Bronx and Queens neighborhoods for them to deal with. Or the way run-off from factories gets disproportionately dumped into poor, black areas because they have the least political representation and thus the smallest chance of raising a stink about major environmental hazards to their health. These are facts. Institutional racism and environmental concerns intersect, just as capitalism and environmentalism intersect. Similarly, class and race intersect. Class and race are intimately tied to each other, and in America, race more often than not determines the rigidity of your class and opportunities of social mobility. Again, it's not a "stretch" to say that environmentalism and feminism and racism and anti-capitalism all come together in certain ways. If they came from society and civilization and the way humans organize themselves, they have more in common than you give them credit for and have a common root.
All rage-induced flames between us aside, the world is a complex place. I don't consider anything in a vacuum, and try my hardest to check myself and be receptive to criticism if I do. I am 100% able to admit when I am wrong and will gladly amend my beliefs when I am because I place a greater value on truth and justice than being right in an argument when all cards are on the table. Do you think I find it fun and enjoyable to recognize that my history and rolemodels as a white man in America are totally fucked and riddled with horrific displays of callousness and crimes against humanity? Do you think I find it fun to disassociate myself with the ancestors on my father's side who came here in the 1600's and owned slaves? I do not find pleasure in breaking down things I should normally be proud of, but I am not proud. Other white people can be proud of their history-- I'm obviously fine with that. But we need to come together and recognize that we also have a fucked up side of history in this country that, by and large, has remained an open wound for many people.
The way to pass from grief to acceptance is not to forget or pretend nothing happened. You may not have pain from your historical reference points in this country, but many people in this country do, and we need to validate that as a truth, as well.
I am not a "blame whitey" kind of guy, honestly. I often get angry at the excessive number of white people who deny the existence of racism or downplay the very real scars of our collective history. That's about it, though. I think white people can be allies, obviously. I don't think every white person in America needs to donate their paycheck to a black family for reparations or bow and grovel or something.
How do you differentiate between "grudge" and "memory"..? Isn't that kind of subjective, based entirely on which side you're viewing it from?
I'm very interest to know how you personally feel about
:
1. American history as a whole, and
2. White peoples' historical place concerning blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans