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White-Irish-American Pride

By Nancy Morgan

I'm a proud White-Irish-American and I'd like to celebrate my unique culture and heritage. Though I personally had no part in it, my white European ancestors were the ones who founded the greatest country the world has ever known. For all of you progressives out there, I'm referring to America.

Yup. My white ancestors founded and conquered it. Just like countries, states and tribes have been doing since time immemorial.

My white European ancestors then established a framework (hint: the Constitution) that allowed immigrants from all over the world a place where they could be free of tyrannical dictators and oppressive government. Its called America -and it stands for freedom. My ancestors fought and died for it and then offered it to the world.

Since man is not perfect, there were a few hitches along the way. But hey, I'm willing to forgive the ignorant few that followed the cultural dictates of the past - the ones who posted signs saying 'No Irish Need Apply.' That bigotry was a product of the times and America finally did the right thing by abolishing it.

Of course, there are still those who choose to dwell in the past. Just last week a Nigerian rights group sent a letter to African chiefs demanding they apologize for the role they played in the slave trade. "We cannot continue to blame the white men, as Africans particularly the traditional rulers, are not blameless."

Personally, I believe trying to address historical grievances is counter-productive. Progressives have repeatedly stressed the importance of 'moving-on,' and I think they have a good point.

With the coming of Obama and the progessive agenda, all groups, countries, and cultures are deemed equal. Now its totally OK to celebrate my own group-identity. Especially since taking pride in belonging to the broader, American culture is looked upon with such disfavor.

Since I'm not willing to identify myself solely by my sexual orientation, or my gender, or my politics - or as a victim, or as one of the disenfranchised, that leaves only one group with whom I totally identify: The politically incorrect group of Americans who demand to be judged strictly on merit.

Unfortunately, that's a no-no in today's political and cultural environment. I guess I'll have to be content with just celebrating the color of my skin, like everyone else does.

I'm proud to be white. There, I've said it. But I'm getting confused... A Tennessee state trooper who sent an e-mail proclaiming white pride, has just been suspended for 15 days without pay and will have to attend diversity training. Does this mean white people can't celebrate their own culture?

Not very long ago, before the Nazis came along, white pride was, well, pride in being white. People like myself whose ancestors were white Europeans used to take pride in the accomplishments of fellow whites. That pride was acceptable and celebrated. The tremendous influence and contributions made by white Europeans has, alas, been lumped into the discredited category of 'colonization,' which we all know is bad. Acknowledgment of white European accomplishments and culture is now deemed racist, which is worse.

The fact that many of the countries that were once colonized by Britain are now worse off than when Britain was calling the shots is an inconvenient historical fact. After all, white people of European descent represent a, gasp, superior culture, and that's not allowed to be discussed or studied. Which is why courses on Western Civilization have been removed from college curriculums in favor of gay studies, Black studies, Chicano studies, women studies, etc.

Never having had the time to study diversity and multiculturalism, however, I remain somewhat confused. Hate crime laws require me to take note of the color of a persons' skin in order not to offend them, while political correctness demands I ignore a person's race and their culture when forming an opinion of them. This does not compute.

Maybe I should join that Tennessee trooper in diversity training so I'll know for sure what I am allowed to think, feel and say. After all, I don't want my white skin and American opinions to offend anyone.

Or better yet, why don't we all just take Martin Luther King's advice and judge people based on the content of their character instead of the color of their skin? That way we could do away with all those groups that focus on skin color, like the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Hispanic 'La Raza,' and start celebrating what we all have in common. Our very own unique American culture, in which we all can and should take tremendous pride, regardless of what color we are.

Nancy Morgan is a columnist and news editor for RightBias.com. She lives in South Carolina