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Posted by: Lee Shake (leeshake@novagate.com) on 3/31/1998@03:40hrs:
In Reply to: Italian-Americans posted by: Madame T on 3/30/1998@14:23hrs:
I couldn't agree with you folks more. I am an AMERICAN. My ethnic heritages are so convoluted that I'm a typical Heinz 57 American. My Mother's ancesters arrived in this country from Ireland before the Revolutionary War. I have an ancester who was killed fighting with Ethan Allen. I am also weakly related to Ethan Allen. We qualify for membership in the Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution. My Mother's family has been traced back to the year 1465 in the Netherlands. We also have English, German, Scotch, American Indian and "Black Irish" or Moorish genes in our blood line. My kids have French Canadian, more (Canadian) Indian, Holland Dutch and German genes from my wife's side of the family.
The history of this country demonstrates that it's REAL strength has always come from the unique mixture of peoples that call America "Home." The Irish settled and built. The scotch invented and organized. Navaho Indians acting as communicators during the second world war, kept the lines of communications open between American units in the Pacific theater by using their own language that was not understandable by the enemy evesdroppers. The list goes on and on. But in this modern day and age, such a simple thing as going out to eat and being able to find any kind of ethnic food you might fancy, in nearly any place in in this large country of ours is something you take for granted. Go to any European or Asian country and try to duplicate that experiance!
This country has great strengths and some weaknesses. But it's a very rare person who has lived in this country for any length of time and then goes abroad, that isn't awfully glad to get back home to America again.
I like visiting ethnic festivals. I liked the fact that there were Jewish, Irish, Polish, German (etc) neighborhoods in N.Y.C. and that they had festivals and holidays that everybody was welcome to enjoy.
I was raised a Lutheran, but most of the merchants in Great Kills in the 40s and 50s were Jewish. I grew up learning great respect for honest friendly merchants who lent me sayings like, "Such a Deal!", "Good Goods!", & "Hows by YOU today, Boobla?" Phrases I find myself using, even today [often to raised eyebrows] :-).
There is great beauty and strength in the variety of people who call
themselves, American.