Originally posted by Justmytype
I see your point, and do understand your color scheme. Although I do still feel that neither black, brown, white , yellow, red or even green being the
little aliens when they get here! Do make us seperate from each other. I honestly dont feel any hatred towards any race but do believe we should have
the rights to seperate from one another if by choice.
I understand separation by choice -- I guess I just don't see the point in it.
We've gotten to a place in human history where we are all aware of each other; we've gone from separate societies to countries to a global
community. This, right here, right now, is the most advanced and encultured the human race has ever been!
And I guess that that's why I simply cannot think of myself as *just* an American... I'm a part of the global society. Even if/when I become a true
hermit, I am, and always will be, a part of that greater society. Separation doesn't change that one iota.
((Not 6 months ago, I thought of myself as my own individual island, completely separate and on my own. FTW and all that. But, I've realized that the
only reason that I was able to think of myself as an individual was because of society. It spawned me, it gave me language, it educated me. Because of
society we may have this conversation... For as much as I want to be a hermit, separate myself from the cattle and live on my own, I have to show
respect and gratitude for the herd -- because it gave me that option.))
Language is actually the point of this thread, and I feel we should stick to the point at hand, Speak English in the United States no matter
what race or nationallity you are and Im sure everyone would start to respect each other a little bit more as "Americans" than tooting thier own
horn of being an Arab American, Chineese American, Italian American and so on.
Arent we all Americans??
I don't think that having a common language will instinctually make people respectful. I don't have to speak your language to not shove you into the
road... or to open a door for you - I may not understand your words for 'Thank you', but does that negate the meaning? Would you not understand my
smile and nod as a way of saying 'You're Welcome'?
Besides that, I respect people even more when they are at least attempting to learn a different language. It's hard to understand, it's frustrating
to try and speak with them, but I appreciate their efforts even more -- I respect them more for learning something new and putting it to use.
And besides
that, I know a lot of Americans who speak the language quite fluently, and are completely disrespectful to everyone. The definition
of respect seems to be just as varied as the definition of justice... culturally variant, an inherent fluidity in the definition.
If everyone were taught and practiced respect, *true and basic civility* towards each other... I don't think it would matter what language was being
spoken. Tone and gesture would denote your intent -- actions. Actions rather than words.
I don't see the point in tooting any horn. Yes. People living in this part of the world are Americans. We come from this particular country, and so I
suppose must have some 'nationalistic pride'...
However, First and foremost, we're humans. We're part of something far larger than just individual selves, our individual languages, than our
individual countries. So, where's the pride of being a human in a society much grander than any individual country?
So where's the racial pride --- Aren't we all humans??