Geez, I was going through past posts and trying to update and/or get rid of dead links and videos and realized, wow, I sure have a lot to say! Maybe it's because I don't really talk all that much in real life, least not about the stuff I write here. Here, I can truly be myself and let it alllllllllllllll out!
So prepare for yet another rant. And one probably that's been ranted before, just rethought and reworded.
I'm so full of it! Ranting, of course :) so here goes (and sorry to disappoint, but this is a more serious one)-
The area in which I live is very mixed, there are Afro-Americans, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indians, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, just a huge mix of peoples. Most of them enjoy sharing and explaining their heritage and culture with me (I’m particularly interested in their traditions- festivals, food, dress etc.), at least the more recent immigrants that still retain such things, those that can clearly identify. And I’ve noticed that ‘Americans’, even when their families have been here for generation upon generation, still identify with countries of origin- Italians, Irish, Germans, etc. Even if they’ve never actually lived in those countries, I guess it’s just traditions that have been handed down. I’m the same, I associate with my German/Swiss grandparents on my mom’s side (English and French on my father’s). It’s like some need to belong I guess? To have somewhere to identify with. One’s ‘roots’....a tree will take root wherever it can, and spread it’s branches, drop it’s seed, continue. Trees carry a lot of symbolism for humans. They are only a tree. Another life. Another species. Guess I was going somewhere with that but have lost it.
Anyways, I guess only Native American tribes have what could be considered a true heritage here, and even they migrated at one time from elsewhere, but so long ago, perhaps before anything written, and only retain those memories passed on vocally. Or something.
Guess I’m just rambling now. Not sure what my point is. Maybe it’s just that we hold on to our pasts (no matter how distant), too strongly instead of really moving forward. After all, we are all of the same species, we are all part of the human race, we are all earthlings (well, most anyway :)
Think about it, if there is a peaceful advanced civilization out there, even though they may see potential in us overall, with all the squabbling and violence amongst ourselves, how primitive we really are yet, they don’t want to interact with us?
I’d say we are still children, but I’ve watched small children together, and though they may be curious of another’s appearance (colouring, handicap, some difference, for example), they are so much more accepting (once they question and touch, their curiosity satisfied) than any adult and will play together without prejudices. We call it 'innocence'.
Children learn such things as prejudice and bigotry from adults who concentrate more on differences than samenesses and it’s really quite sad.
Maybe we’d be better off retaining the quality of a child.....