Quick, Which Ethnic Group Is More Patriotic Than the Average?

Every Black History Month there's always one contrarian (at least one) who pipes up with some snidism such as: "Why do blacks get a month? Why don't we just give everybody a month?" If by "everybody" the cynics mean people of ethnicities whose heritage is not otherwise sufficiently taught in schools, then, yes. We should give "everybody" a month, and "everybody" pretty much has one.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, devoted to commemorating individuals of Asian and Pacific Island heritage who've contributed greatly to our nation. May was designated as it's the anniversary of both the first Japanese immigrants arriving in the United States -- May 7th, 1843 -- and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10th, 1869 which was built with the considerable labor of a large contingent of Chinese coolies.

And contrarians aside, no matter that it's 2009 and there's a biracial man as president, there's still much we can all learn about others during such designated months. Particularly this month as most other Americans don't distinguish Asian Americans, and look at them as a monolithic group. And as much as 45 percent of the general population says they believe Asian-Americans have more loyalty to their countries of ancestry than to the United States. That number has actually increased from 37 percent in a similar 2001 survey. For the record, about 75 percent of Chinese-Americans surveyed (for example) said they would support the United States in military or economic conflicts. That compares to only about 56 percent of the general population who said they would.

Of course, as you take time to learn about Asian-American history, such patriotism isn't surprising. Just read up on Executive Order 9066, the Nisei Brigade and their rescue of the Lost Battalion to be reminded again that so often in our nation's history it's the very folks who are denied the blessing of liberty who fight and bleed for it the hardest.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month doesn't get nearly the play that Black History Month does. But then neither do Women's History Month (March), Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 15th to Oct 15th), or American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November). But next time a contrarian wants to know if we have to give everybody a month, you can hand them a calendar and get them educated.

For more perspective please visit That Minority Thing.com.

Comments

[larry278]

The late Si Burick, a sports writer for the Dayton [Oh] Daily News, wrote of the late Joe Louis; Burick wrote that Joe Louis wrote that Joe Louis was a credit to his race, the human race. That was in the 1940's.
Americans are mongrels or mutts. Regardless of skin color, Americans are mestizos. There is no way to control the way Americans breed.
Now, if you're looking for pure bred humans, look at royalty & the nobility in countries that tolerate such concepts. You have Kings John I through XVIII, aka John, the idiot; then you get a King John XIX, aka John the barely competent but a hell of a lot better than the Kings John who came before him; then Kings John XX through XL are known, to a man as King John the idiot. Pure bred humans are like thoroughbred horses, fragile, weak, useless for any work & very expensive. For example, a few years ago a horse broke down & broke a leg while training for or running in one of the 3 races that are called Tripple Crown races or whatever. The owner kept his horse alive for X number of months by spending great sums of money for extremely expensive veterinarians & even more expensive care for the poor nag. When the veteranarians told the owner that there was no chance of the nag's leg healing, the owner had the horse killed. That, at last, put the nag out of the misery his

[edrisi]

I would suggest that one month be used for all the different nationalities and just call it AMERICAN HERITAGE month. That way everyone will be satisfied and can have their own activities without anyone feeling left out.

[Queenhuh]

What really is patriotism? It is blind unwavering and unquestioning following of government, in order that government may procure its cannon fodder for senseless wars. The last administration used this word to its fullest advantage. Look where it got us.

[kojoman]

One of our well kept secrets.

At 17, Mr. Morrow enlisted in the United States Army and joined the 24th Infantry Regiment Combat Team, originally known as the BUFFALO-SOLDIERS. and found himself fighting a bloody war in a place he had never heard of: Korea. During nine months of fierce combat, Mr. Morrow developed not only a soldier's mentality but a political consciousness as well. Hearing older men discussing racial discrimination in both civilian and military life, he began to question the role of his all-black unit in the Korean action. Supposedly they were protecting freedom, justice, and the American way of life, but what was that way of life for blacks in the United States? Where was the freedom? Why were they, the Buffalo Soldiers laying their lives on the line for a country in which African-American citizens were sometimes denied even the right to vote. Still, they fought and died like the warriors they were.

After 4 years, one in Korea and 2, 1/2 in Japan) his quest for self discovery, led him to New York City during the cultural revolution early 1960's. Disillusioned with the social and political situation that prevailed at that time, he moved to Accra, Ghana with less than $300.00 and a vow to make a new home for himself. There, he lived eleven years (1965 to 1976)

Mr. Morrow is the author of two books: MY SANKOFA and WHAT'S A COMMIE EVER DONE TO BLACK PEOPLE?

[S1m0n]

Um, none of the above? The flag cult that gets called 'patriotism' in the US is a weird combination of ritual genuflection and rote-piety which correlates in no regard to the actual practice of responsible citizenship.

[lobear00]

Hey' John , get together with Obama and tell him to appoint a Native American to the supreme court. The time has come.

[naturallight]

How bout' the BANKERS? They are feeling pretty good about their government right now.

[naturallight]

That's funny. I was coming over here to make a crack about how it probably is NOT the Native Americans.

[sheureka]

"Coolie"????

[karinova]

I know, right?!

[johnthesavage]

I get the feeling I shouldn't hold my breath for "White Boy Month".

[karinova]

Baby, that's every month of the year.

[Ohioan730]

I have witnessed the sons and grandsons of white immigrants who came here in the early 1900s tell people of color who's ancestors have been here since the 1700s and fought the civil war to "go back where they came from". Isn't THAT a hoot? People never cease to amaze me.

Anyone who wants to begrudge Black History Month or any other month, let me tell you, I don't like it much either. Especially Black History Month. As an AA, I feel slighted by BHM. Black History is American History. To separate and marginalize it into something so specific, alienates us and makes us something other than American. Black History happened in America, not on Black Planet. People don't even think they have to know it if they aren't black. The American History lesson is incomplete as long as Black History is a stand alone entity. They should be merged together and children should no longer be taught lies in school. They should know the sordid past of their great country so they may know how much we have changed as a nation.

[Nommo]

Or, perhaps, have not changed...

[StillIRise]

"The American History lesson is incomplete as long as Black History is a stand alone entity."

I agree with your sentiments, but as long as American history excludes black history, then Black History Month is needed, not only for our black youth, but even more essentially for the children who are not black and who would not otherwise receive this information.

I taught high school African American Literature for many years. At some point, the decision was made to drop African American Literature as a separate course, and to include it in the American Literature curriculum (as I agree it should be). Unfortunately, what happened was that the teaching of African American literature, in any form, was discarded altogether. The younger white teachers who were unfamiliar with African American literature, and the older black teachers who were uncomfortable with it, simply chose not to teach it and to stick with the American literature icons who we're all well acquainted with ... none of whom however happens to be black!

American literary, political and social history has excluded the stories of large segments of our population. It's a story told from a Eurocentric worldview, and until it opens itself up to tell the whole story, then we have to continue to tell our story whenever and however we can.

[karinova]

Funny, I've always thought BHM is more for everybody else than it is just for us.
Same for the other "history months."

It's not about "Look what these 3 people achieved. Good for them."
Instead, the message is, "Look at what these people achieved and consider: what else did we forfeit? When we don't value the contributions of EVERY American, we cheat ourselves."

[Nommo]

Far more important is the fact that the history fed to us has been so white washed that the compensation of a month or attention only exacerbates all of the exclusions. The practice still forces the unconsidered to be viewed as separate entities, almost incidental. These month long soirees tend to increase the ignorance and reaction rather than enlighten, even those who are subject to the month's attention.

The custodians of history need to be overhauled.

[GrainOSand]

Every day is a day to love and respect another. Every day is a good day to free yourself of the weight of any bias or bigotry you may carry. Every American is American, and now more than ever that needs to be celebrated, for we face a common challenge with far reaching implications for all of our futures, no matter our ancestral homeland. Home and country is where the heart is, and America must not look to win hearts and minds just on foreign land, but on its' own soil as well. American must look to stomp out the radical fundamentalist mentality that says if you have certain features -- that makes you "one of us", "a soccer or hockey mom", or "Joe six-pack". We are all -- U.S. (or us), mothers and fathers come in all shades. Parenthood is a spirit of the heart not the skin, and yes, generically speaking, we all may want a refreshing beverage after a hard day’s work.

Tolerance is a flimsy approach to humanity. The word is acceptance. America needs to marinate in the spirit of acceptance of all people as capable, worthy, and of equal potential to exemplify, promote, and enhance the American idea.

The reality before us may be a distortion of the more powerful possibility of our potential, but alas, time grows short on our ability to transcend our limitations, to shed the skin of our prehistoric tendency to separate and associate based on surface characteristics.

[Rog49Thomas]

Ah, yes, the famous argument that some of us are more pro American than others by virtue of the color of our skins, our religion or ethnicity.

Most political tendencies do tend to agree on this.

Sadly though they can't come to a consensus which group it is.

I guess that argues for more careful study.

Personally, I think we should determine one's patriotic tendencies by measuring skulls or phrenology.

[grimus]

Who even pays any attention to these special months anyway except for kids in grade school. There are too many holidays as well.