I'm a German-Canadian. I can say that with some confidence because I was born in Germany, but am now a resident of Canada and a Canadian citizen. German-Canadian. Simple.
My wife was born of Ukrainian parents, speaks Ukrainian fluently, but is not Ukrainian-Canadian. She was born in Canada, so she is simply a Canadian. Although our son has an interesting and diverse heritage, he is not defined by the origins of his parents and their forebears. He was born in Canada and he too is simply Canadian. He's not German-Ukrainian-Canadian.
He is, however, a white Canadian. My wife is a white Canadian. I'm a white German-Canadian. The term "white" has no judgment attached, it merely supplies additional information about us. It provides context. It indicates that somewhere, somewhen, we had European ancestors. None of this is good or bad, it simply is.
American blacks are not automatically 'African-Americans.' Denzel Washington and Spike Lee aren't African-Americans. Neither is Jesse Jackson. Even Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little,) wasn't African American. They are all simply Americans. They are black Americans. The term "black" has no judgment attached, it merely supplies additional information about them. It provides context. It indicates that somewhere, somewhen, they had African ancestors. None of this is good or bad, it simply is.
Black and white are words that describe our skin colour. That's it. They illustrate the most obvious difference between me and Spike Lee. They carry no extra baggage. They don't say that one of us is bad and the other good. They don't say that one of us is a better father than the other. They don't do any of that. Anyone who judges others solely on the colour of their skin, in a context of value (good/bad, honest/dishonest, etc.) deserves to be called racist. However, making a statement, for example, that blacks are often better basketball players, is value neutral. It is not racist. It simply states a fact that is currently demonstrably true. The fact might change tomorrow or next week or next century, but for now it appears to be true. Consider the roster of NBA teams as proof.
Black or white, we are all human beings. That's what matters.
We all have to stop being so damn thin-skinned, whether that skin is black or white. I don't care about the colour of my neighbours' skin. I do care whether or not I can get along with them, if they are going to keep their yard clean and whether their dog is going to poop on my lawn. I don't care about the colour of my employees' skin. I do care whether or not they do their assigned jobs competently and if they represent my company properly to my customers. I don't care where any of them go to church (if at all) but do care, very much, whether or not they are honest and trustworthy.
Let's stop all this 'us vs. them' nonsense. Many American blacks are leading the way to help us all forget the mistakes of the past and to try to build a better world together. If you don't know who they are, there is a partial list, with appropriate hyper-links, following this post. Read their columns and articles. Buy their books. They have important things to say and deserve our respect.
Larry Elder
Mychal Massie
Thomas Sowell
Walter E. Williams
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