[Laura26071]

First, there is no doubt that black people in the United States have historically been treated savagely. But you are incorrect when you say that blacks are the only ones who have been stripped of their religion, language and culture – look at what happened to Native Americans, for example, or the Chinese immigrants in the 19th Century. Any kind of racial intolerance is inexcusable, and it is important to recognize that many people have suffered, not just you. And I understand your frustration at not being able to trace your geneology – I can’t trace mine back beyond my great-grandparents, who arrived in the United States during the late 19th/early 20th centuries in the last wave of immigrants from Europe. That has to do with poverty, not race. Poor people in the mountain villages of southern Italy didn’t keep written records or hand down heirlooms. I don’t even know if my ancestors could read or write. As a white person, I recognize that I grew up in a privileged position by virtue of the color of my skin. I never had racism directed at me. But is it necessary to share the same experience with someone to appreciate his pain? And finally, I would say this: Isn’t it our responsibility, as thoughtful people who recognize the injustices that have been perpetrated, to move beyond hate and work to change things? The only way to keep these kind of injustices from happening again is to stop all kinds of bigotry. We aren’t responsible for the evil other people do to us, but we are responsible for our own behavior in the face of it. Hate only breeds more hate and violence.

User Detail :  

Name : Laura26071, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 39, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : writer/teacher/editor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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