Proud to be American/White/Heterosexual?

Heya all,

A few days ago I was thinking about the discussion I once had with people from America, that said they were proud to be Americans.
I said I did not really understand how you can be proud on being born in a certain country, as noone decides where he/she is born.

Later on people explained that the pride is not about actually "being American", but about being proud about what your ancestors have achieved in a certain location, in their case being America.

With this thread I want to break the discussion open again, regarding pride. When can you be proud and when can't you?

Some gay people are proud they are gay. Even though they were born gay, and did not choose or ask to be gay, they are trying to make a statement by saying they are proud to be gay.
Are heterosexuals proud they are heterosexual as well?

The past regarding black people somehow led to the currrent situation where, as a black human being you can say you are proud to be black, but as a white human being you can't say you are proud to be white, as this somehow suggests being white is "better" than being black.

In general I think the meaning of the word "pride" somehow got lost somewhere in history, when people started using it as a reaction to being suppressed (gay people, black people), and America got more patrionistic.

I guess the question is, can you be proud about a "situation" or "state" you're put in, instead of something you (or someone you know) has achieved?

[edit on 4-12-2004 by Jakko]

Pride is personal. It can be applied to anything you like.

I just wasted a small amount of time typing this note in regarding something rediculous. I'm not proud of that.

If it's all personal baillie, then why is it "wrong" to say "I am proud to be white"?

And why can black people say they are proud of being black, without it sounding "wrong".

[edit on 4-12-2004 by Jakko]

I am proud of this thread, even though I did not author it. If I said I was proud to be white, some would call me a racist.

Originally posted by groingrinder
I am proud of this thread, even though I did not author it. If I said I was proud to be white, some would call me a racist.

How is it any different then being proud you are Black, Asian, Spanish,etc?

I'm proud of being a white-anglo-saxon-well-over-the-hill-somewhat-overweight-gray-haired-old-fogey-Viet-Nam-Vet ... But Hey! We all gotta start somewhere.

Actually, it seems to me that the "whatever-pride" thing is a way of rationalizing that you are what you are, you are comfortable, and/or due to circumstance, you are unable to change.

we should just be proud to be what we are, no matter what we look like or where we live
but sometimes people think they better than someone else because of it, that is not o.k
I argue a lot on ATS but I try to respect everybody no matter what

Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

well its about time this was brought up as i feel proud beeing white and hetrosexual

but if i was to say this any other time outside of this board im racist and i have problems with gays which is rather unfair

its not what u say its how u say it and use it

as for other races we are all equal and racism is a how many race there are out there streak

give it a few thousand yrs if we aint blown ourslelves up and tell me this or mybe look forward will there be any individual race's left

i think not

why do all advanced other species " this is skeptical" are suposed to have almost the same colour and shape

then think why are humans right now so early in life so diffrent in apperence, gender and colour

any 1 care to add anything

It's personal because "I'm proud to be white/black" can mean something entirely different to you than it does to me. Maybe it means the same, maybe it means something different.

It's how we each view the statement. When a black man says "he's proud to be black", he may be saying that he is proud to be a descendent of people who took a lot of abuse, survived and then succeeded where other's may have given up. That same statement may sound to someone else to mean, he's happy he isn't white because white sucks. It's all personal perception.

You can read anything into just about any statement. Misunderstanding has gotten a lot of people killed over the centuries. Ain't that special.

We're just people. We'll never be perfect and we'll never fully get along. It's the brain that makes us strong, but it's also what keeps us apart and different.

That's heavy man..............heavy.

There's no reason why people shouldn't be proud to be white, heterosexual etc it just doesn't seem to be much of an issue if you are amongst a white hetrosexual majority in the first place. The reason for gay/black pride was originally a reaction to others predjudice and attempts to denigrate people and trying to make them ashamed/inferior. Sure this sometimes creates reverse discrimination but for all the people who get strung up about banner waving gays etc remember that mainstream society had a part to play in creating it.

Originally posted by Jakko
If it's all personal baillie, then why is it "wrong" to say "I am proud to be white"?

And why can black people say they are proud of being black, without it sounding "wrong".

Here's the deal. There's nothing wrong with being proud of being white, black or whatever. However, if along with that pride you think your culture/race/whatever is better than someone else THEN IT'S WRONG.


So the problem is you have these hate groups out here like the KKK claiming to be proud of being white AND the belief that there should be white power and that they are better than everyone b/c they're white. Hence you get more flak on the issue. There are plenty of whites who are proud to be white but don't think they're better b/c of their skin color. Problem is the hate groups get more coverage b/c of the history of such groups etc. etc.

Again to repeat myself since some don't take time to read regardless if your black, white, asian etc. there's nothing wrong with being proud of yourself but to think you're better than someone else b/c of that is WRONG.

Originally posted by Rugoolian
well its about time this was brought up as i feel proud beeing white and hetrosexual


any 1 care to add anything

Good....you have the right to be proud, it's normal! For me, I'm proud to be good looking and healthy like if I was sick and ugly I would be sad but probably still proud of myself for beign intelligent...there is no limit for proudness because you cannot be in another people skin and you never know how things can turn out and completely change your life

You cannot discuss stuff like that....

IMO

Whenever there is discussion about a conspiracy, a series of events, or in the case - suggestion over the existance of being whatever that is, people will ignorantly blow off a conversation by saying "i am proud to be xxx" it's basically a self defense tactic which IMO really doesn't make sense. It's a neutral stance basically it's like saying I agree with you, but im proud to be this because i've been told to (strange stance)

True

You are told since childhood that you must be proud to be american because America is the best country and america has this and that....that gays are silly, that Black are violent and so on.....

That is not YOU, that is the society who wants white/hetero/american...stereotype

Compare a beautiful intelligent woman from Brasil who is bi-sexual and "milk chocolate skin" who has plenty of money and a big carreer

OR

An old ugly straight fat guy from USA dumb and stuborn who have no job, what would you want to be between the two?????

Originally posted by Rugoolian



why do all advanced other species " this is skeptical" are suposed to have almost the same colour and shape

then think why are humans right now so early in life so diffrent in apperence, gender and colour

any 1 care to add anything

I think your right because I consider my self white! But I have many backkrounds/ German, Hungarian, french, native american, a dash of hispanic and a few more. But I have a tan complection and some times darker than others who are not white.(eventually after mix breeding we all look simalar. So I guess I'm proud to be a mutt! no seriously though I'm proud to be of the human race, not as a whole( admit it, humans as a whole is not good most of the time) but as an individual we are a loveing species. well some are sheep. But most of us are intellagent beings.

As for pround to be an american? Well what the United states was founded on, The constitution. yeah sure I'm proud of that. But in recent years I'm not proud at all. I'm U.S. born, and U.S.A is to power hungry and needs to stop trying to police the world. While we're over here getting our freedoms taken away! Any one proud of that is just like them!

I don't believe that it is possible to be 'proud' of something unless you are responsible (or partly responsible) for making it. Yes, you can respect the work of others (such as the US Founding fathers for example) but to be proud of something you really need to have had a hand in its creation.

That said, I am proud to have the Pixy Baby as my avatar (even though I didn't make the pic )





[edit on 4-12-2004 by Pisky]

Originally posted by Pisky
Yes, you can respect the work of others (such as the US Founding fathers for example) but to be proud of something you really need to have had a hand in its creation.

Exactly what I think.
I am proud when I composed a song that sounds cool, or when I am applauded by staff of ATS for a thread I make.
But I am not proud I am heterosexual, neither am I proud I am from the netherlands, even though I am gratefull I was born in such a wealthy country.

Originally posted by Jakko

Originally posted by Pisky
Yes, you can respect the work of others (such as the US Founding fathers for example) but to be proud of something you really need to have had a hand in its creation.

Exactly what I think.
I am proud when I composed a song that sounds cool, or when I am applauded by staff of ATS for a thread I make.
But I am not proud I am heterosexual, neither am I proud I am from the netherlands, even though I am gratefull I was born in such a wealthy country.

YEASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs
That is what we all should be proud of: Our little everyday accomplishement that keeps us on track of life

Proud of you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ameliaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Originally posted by Rugoolian
well its about time this was brought up as i feel proud beeing white and hetrosexual

but if i was to say this any other time outside of this board im racist and i have problems with gays which is rather unfair

Blacks are proud because, despite racism, they manage to live on.

Gays are also proud due to the same reason.

You should be proud that you are an American.

But why should one be proud to be white? whites are not opressed in some way.

Originally posted by masterp
You should be proud that you are an American.
But why should one be proud to be white? whites are not opressed in some way.

You have to be oppressed to be Proud? How are Americans oppressed? or can you only be proud to be american if you are black or gay? Could you be proud to be white if you lived in a black neighborhood? You would be a minorty there. Would you have to stop being proud if you moved?