Why are we encouraged to take so much pride in our ethnicity? None of us had a voice about where we were born nor to whom.
I remember that as a child, born here of immigrant parents, I wanted to meld into the culture as quickly as possible. My cousins and I needed no special teachers to learn the language.
We learned English out of necessity so that we wouldn’t be called “greenhorns.” We spoke English at home as much as possible so that our parents would learn it. Though my parents appreciated their European roots, they, too, chose to be Americanized.
When we express ethnic pride, are we not putting down those of other races and nationalities? Being proud to be American would promote unity in this country. I’m not ashamed of my heritage, but I feel grateful to be an American.
