By
Errol Hale
Not
so very long ago, people used to come to the United States from
all over the world. People from all ethnic and racial backgrounds.
Each had one thing in common: they longed to be Americans! They
took classes to become citizens of this great union. Each retained
a pride in their ethnicity, from foods, to customs, to language.
They enjoyed the freedom to worship according to their own conscience
and religion. They lost nothing of their heritage. They coexisted
with others of backgrounds as colorful and diverse as their own,
and yet they were Americans, and glad to be so. America celebrated
the unity of many becoming one. America was a melting pot.
That
has changed . . .
Today,
removed by one or more generations from their immigrated forefathers,
Americans of various ethnic backgrounds, seem to have a disdain
for their American identity. Today many prefer to major on their
ethnic past, though they may have little or no first-hand knowledge
of that background. People are more proud of being whatever their
ethnic heritage is, than of being Americans. This is seen in the
fact that we identify ourselves as African-Americans, Mexican-Americans,
Asian-Americans, etc., instead of simply as Americans from a particular
ethnic descent. There is an ever-increasing emphasis on what sub-group
we are from, that is fueling a growing racial tension in our day.
We are no longer Americans, one nation under God. We are dividing
and sub-dividing ourselves into tribes. A new kind of multi-culturalism
insists on racial distinction [read: division]. America now champions
a kind of multi-culturalism that is crossing over into racism.
Some
may not be aware of the difference between multi-culturalism and
the melting pot. The distinction may seem semantical. Many people
use the term multi-cultural and mean melting pot. However, two
distinct mind-sets exist and regardless of the words one uses,
the ideologies are diametrically opposed. Here are a few
distinctives:
-
The melting
pot says I am an AMERICAN from ethnic descent. The new
Multi-culturalism
says I am an ETHNIC-american.
-
The melting
pot recognizes distinctives, while not making divisions. The
new Multi-culturalism insists on division.
-
The melting
pot celebrates unity of all peoples. The new Multi-culturalism
cannot see past differences.
-
The melting
pot emphasizes unity among people from varying ethnic and
religious backgrounds, while not denying or losing any of
the wonderful contributions that each group brings to the
whole. The new Multi-culturalism emphasizes only our differences.
-
The melting
pot is almost forgotten by most. The new Multi-culturalism
is promoted by tribal leaders, and embraced by many who do
not understand how damaging the shift away from unity truly
is.
There
is strength in the unity of being Americans from diverse backgrounds.
There is an inherent weakness in dividing ourselves into tribes.
This is especially true when the tribes become so driven by tribal
honor and pride, that they war with other tribes. Are we warring
tribes? Look at how various groups clamor for their share of every
pie that our government bakes. Look at how race is made the dominant
issue in nearly every conflict – even if race has nothing
to do with the conflict.
The
word racism is a hot button. It conjures up images of the KKK,
hateful men in white robes who insisted on racial division, terrorizing
all who stood in their way. The word racism beckons us to remember
the horrors of the holocaust. That kind of racism is, and always
has been, deplorable to all thinking people. Unfortunately it
still exits. Fortunately, because it is so obviously wrong, those
who embrace it are easily spotted and denounced for what they
are: narrow, bigoted, people who must be opposed.
There
is however a new kind of racism. It is the racism that most fail
to recognize as racism. What is racism?
Race:
"A group of people classified together on the basis of common
history, nationality, or genetic characteristics."
Ism:
"A system of principles, doctrine, a way of thinking."
When
you put the two together you have a way of thinking based on
race. Therefore, a racist is anyone who's way of looking
at things is based on racial issues. The new multi-culturalists
say they are champions of tolerance. However, these same new
multi-culturalists
emphasize and insist on racial distinctions. In the truest, and
most dangerous sense, many champions of the new multi-culturalism
are the racists of today. Let it be said again, the average person
mistakenly thinks this new multi-culturalism is the antithesis
of racism, when in fact it is the seed bed for it.
We
didn't get from there to here over night. We will not get back
over night either, but there are steps that individuals can take
to get us turned back around.
Here
are three:
1. Be
color-blind. As difficult as it may be, especially since
we are bombarded with the new multi-cultural racism on every
side, do all you can to refuse to judge based on color, ethnic
background or religion. Insist on every person and every case
being judged on its own merit.
2. Speak
up. Politely, point out the new multi-culturalism when
you see it. Point it out for what it is, and then calmly and
intelligently explain how it is damaging our great nation. Challenge
people to rethink their position. For those who are a little
more bold, write letters to newspapers, commenting on the new
multi-cultural racism when it is in the news. You might even
write a little pamphlet. I did!
3. Be
an American first. Many, if not most of us, have some identifiable
ethnic distinction. Do not forget your heritage, but be proud
to be an American FIRST. Because America is made up of every
race under the sun, being proud to be American, while celebrating
our cultural diversity is in no way racially driven.
A footnote:
The notion that the new multi-culturalism is divisive
is likely to be seen by the probability that this brochure will
infuriate the new Multi-culturalists. They are likely to denounce
it as racist. Doesn't it seem strange that the proponents of the
melting pot (those who emphasize unity) are labeled racist, by
the champions of the new multi-culturalism (those who emphasize
diversity).
Christianity
v. Racism
Because
Christians are human, they have often found themselves on the
wrong side of many issues throughout history. However, Biblical
Christianity is opposed to racial distinctions, because God makes
none. He created all people groups. He is no respecter of persons.
He loves every one completely and equally.
Jesus
Christ said, "For God so loved the world [people of all
ethnic backgrounds] that He gave His only begotten Son
[Jesus Christ] so that whoever would believe in Him, would
not perish, but have everlasting life."
The
Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus is our peace who has "broken
down the wall of separation [between peoples]."
No
matter what ethnic background any of us may have, we all have
equal need for God's love and intervention in our lives, and we
all have equal access to God through Jesus Christ.
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