One thing that bothers me greatly are those that seem annoyed at being held to a decent level of civility. If you don’t want to call a black person African-American, that’s fine, but don’t go to the effort to mockingly say “blacks… oh, sorry, I mean ‘African-Americans’” with air quotes. I run across that kind of attitude a lot. I suppose it’s about the only way whites (of which I am one) can claim the victimhood that they are always saying is the problem with everyone else.

Another thing that’s really unfortunate in the past several years is politics. Politics has always been a bloodbath, but I don’t remember it extending so much into the voters. Republicans sure seemed to hate Clinton back in the day, but I don’t remember them hating Democrats (as in the people, not the politicians) so much as they seem to now. The same is true for the Democrats and Gingrich in days past compared to all Republicans today. It has gotten to the point that I refuse to tell anyone how I vote.

You just made me realize something. One of the biggest misunderstandings about American culture (or maybe White American culture) is that it is all about the negative aspect of pride. You are right, any time someone tries to be proud of being White they are labeled racist. That reverse racism (which in reality is just racism, the reverse connotation is almost mute because ignorance is still the cause of it.) is almost a given when it comes to race relations.

If people would just respect others there would be no problem. I always think that trying to change people’s perspectives is the wrong approach. Rather broadening their views is more like it. While I am not as presumptuous as to think that I have change the way you view race (that has been inside of you because of environment, family values and other reinforcing factors) I do think that I have made you appreciate the thought that you can view a human being of another race as a brother. While that is not a total change, I totally think it is a won battle.

At the same time, you are very fortunate to be able to have a culture that you can be proud of and display that pride openly. Whereas my culture is always described as being evil, overpowering, enslaving, and destructive. And to show pride in my culture is perceived as being racist. Now, granted… I am racist. I will admit that and you know that as well. But that still does not make it fair for the rest of my race in general.

Reverse discrimination is silently destructive and we are powerless to it. It feeds the fire on both sides and breeds more and more hate, when it doesn’t have to be that way on an individual basis. Even my racism is a generalization. I don’t hate you because you are not white. In fact, I probably care for you more than the majority of white people I know. But the underlying problem is always present and we are all at fault. It is simply human nature. And given the choice, I’d rather hate you for looking different, than have us all look the same. Because it is our differences that make us overcome such petty things.

The way we are the same trumps the way we are different. I am proud you are my friend, Paco.