Following on the lines of Simply Love One Another.
Would you be so kind as to hang in there with me here.
There has been a considerable amount of press and activity lately centered around the term “White Supremacy”, and it’s preponderants called “White Supremacists”. In regards to the currents ‘news’, I have to sympathize with the ‘other side’ because I am white, and not much of a “Supremacist”.
If there is one thing that I have never been much of it is “Supreme”. As a member of the simple working class, I have experienced quite an interesting diversity of “Supremacy” over the years. Because of this, I have a Dennis perspective on how our country has become so divided along the lines of “Supremacy”.
Much like I look at religion, I find “Supremacy” requires a huge caveat along the lines of “Truth in Advertising”.
No news has been written much about German Supremacy, or Black Supremacy, or Asian Supremacy. (There are more potential Asian Supremacists in the world than any other cultural group, but I just never hear about them). You get the idea.
I have seen many I call the “EDUCATED SUPREMACISTS”. They carry a degree in their back pocket that qualifies them to be “SUPREME”, ( do you know any of these people?) They can be recognized because laws do not apply to them unless accompanied by a police car with lights on top.
On any given day, I hear or read about the Democrat Supremacists or the Republican Supremacists and why one is better than the other, irregardless of their color.
I, unfortunately, remind you that I am not supreme. Consequently very little that I get involved in matters much in the scheme of things, but my Senator or city council person is close to GODLY in his (or her) impact in the daily world.
I will defer the “RELIGIOUS SUPREMACISTS” to another writing.
And all this has yet to deal with two huge competing segments of “AMERICAN SUPREMACISTS”.
Women and Men.
Women and men I have discovered come in all kinds of colors and cultures and often find themselves in positions of “Supremacy”. I guess the “White Supremacist” example has not been wasted on many of these. It is just that this supremacy is hidden in the background, much like the now infamous “Gay Closet”. This level of Supremacy needs to be brought out of the closet and examined for what it also has become. This kind of “Supremacy” also results in acceptable bullying, abuse, condescension and the general overall air of “My Success at YOUR Expense”, that often is shared as the American “Dream?”
Asked the other day about my culture in a meeting that included primarily Latino people, I mentioned that I was classified as WHITE. The response clarified the question as to what Nationality was I. I responded that I was WHITE. I have never been asked on an employment application if I was Swedish, or German, or Irish, or Scottish (all of which I am). I had no other reasonable option but to list “WHITE”. I even have a tan from the El PASO sunshine, but automatically I am addressed in English vs Spanish. I have never been listed as a member of a “preferred hiring” group. I have never been listed as a member of a preferred educational assistance group. I have never been involved in a “WHITE HISTORY MONTH, DAY or YEAR.” I have yet to see a “WHITE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS” or “WHITE MUSIC PERFORMING ARTS AWARD” show on TV. I have never been acknowledged as being German, or Swedish, or Scottish, or Irish, I have always been WHITE. I have never been “SUPREME.”
Yet what many in America now see is Dennis the “WHITE SUPREMACIST.”
The mysterious “They” never seem to see a “FEMALE SUPREMACIST” or a “MALE SUPREMACIST”. I have had many male and female teachers, instructors, bosses and bullies cross my path whose attitude has been to be “Supreme”. I have never met a “BLACK SUPREMACIST” but I am familiar with the “BLACK POWER MOVEMENT”. Those who have, seen, know of, and have themselves been bullied and bossed by those in their own BLACK community. I have had bosses and co-workers that have crossed all sexes and cultures and they seem to be competing with the WHITE SUPREMACIST culture to succeed in the workplace as well as the political arena.
WRONG IS WRONG.
I have heard terrible stories of the (ANY CULTURE) teachers and coaches (ANY GRADE) that bully their students because they feel that they can because they feel it is free of charge because of their “Supremacy”. These people are no different than the “White Supremacist” of the daily news. The police officer who bullies people because they feel empowered to by their position making it free of charge are no different than the “White Supremacist” of the daily news. Thankfully I know of many more policeman and military personnel who I admire more than all others because of their sacrifice who are getting lost in the “POLICE SUPREMACIST” movement of some of their peers that is all over the daily news. These few “Supremacists” create a “POLICE SUPREMACIST” model that also needs to be acknowledged and acted upon. Often the model comes from the top down.
WRONG IS WRONG.
I have actually known some awfully bad people of all colors and cultures who should just be called BAD PEOPLE. These I would classify as “BAD PEOPLE”. NOT to be confused with SUPREMACISTS.
I pray the day is coming when the applications simply ask:
“Check here if you are an “AMERICAN.”
You see all of the above people whom I have known have been “AMERICANS”. The ones who have had Pakistani roots, they are AMERICANS. The ones whose color was different than mine have been “AMERICANS”. The GOOD people as well as the BAD people have been AMERICANS. What AMERICA needs to do to become GREAT (not Again, but the FIRST TIME) is go back to our roots and evolve along with our nation. All men (and women) created equal. One nation, indivisible, melting pot of the world’s cultures, doing unto others as they would have them doing unto themselves, in LIBERTY and with JUSTICE FOR ALL.
Ellis Island should not be a figment of our imagination, it should be the bulwark of our success. At some point in time in our “American History” (for all but a select few of our citizens by number) Your family and culture came here through Ellis Island or similar port of entry, they signed their name, they took a pledge of allegiance, and they started contributing.
Some President once said “Ask NOT what your country can do for you, Ask what YOU can do for your country.”
History would record that that concept was beyond most of our citizens abilities of comprehension.
What America needs to be GREAT is AMERICANS.
Not WHITE AMERICANS. NOT BLACK or LATIN, or GERMAN or SCOTTISH or ASIAN AMERICANS, or MIDDLE EASTERN AMERICANS. JUST AMERICANS. One of my great acquaintances is an AUSTRALIAN AMERICAN. My partner is a CANADIAN AMERICAN. It has taken all of these AMERICANS to get AMERICA where it is today. The railroads were not built by just “WHITE” Americans. The Cotton and tobacco was not picked by just “WHITE” Americans. The clothes were not sewn by just “WHITE” Americans. The more AMERICANS the better, following John Kennedy’s dream. It is the desire for too many of us to be “SUPREME” that is getting in the way of America becoming “GREAT”. The problem is that we learn by example, and the examples can leave a lot to be desired.
Look at your neighbor for what your neighbor is: AMERICAN.
If your neighbor is not an AMERICAN citizen help them become one.
If we are worried about them taking advantage of America and the benefits it has become accustomed to providing, because of a lack of their citizenship, make a Presidential Decree and make them all citizens. Then they will all qualify for just what the rest of us Citizens qualify for. (Apply this to Congress also.)
When we deny the “DREAM” to one, we have denied the “DREAM” to all.
WE NEED AMERICANS. Not “Supremacists”. We have enough of the “SUPREMACISTS” already.
dw9-8-17