I think that the word "race" is commonly misused when one is referring to "culture" or "ethnicity". I believe that we have separate cultural and ethnic communties/groups because I belong to one. I think people get "culture" and "ethnicity" confused with "nationality".
I think that differences do exist and as frail as the human race is, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of the "other" and historically have sought to demonize those seen as different. I do not want, nor have any intention of losing my cultural identity to embrace some "universal--we are all one" type of mentality only. It doesn't mean that I don't value harmony. I think it is possible to be true to yourself and your heritage without having to separate yourself from the whole.
It is all circles within circles. My inner circles of self will reflect a greater and greater degree of specificity--me, my family, my extended family, my cultural family/tribe, my nationality, my continent, the world....it gets broader as you go farther out. Some people just refuse to see themselves as part of the larger whole. You can't erase who you are and on the deepest, most broadest sense, we are all one. On the deepest, most narrow sense, we are. There is a whole smorgesboard in between. I try not to get caught up in the fact that someone's smorgesboard might have seafood on it, which I hate, and translate that into hate for that person.
I think that differences do exist and as frail as the human race is, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of the "other" and historically have sought to demonize those seen as different. I do not want, nor have any intention of losing my cultural identity to embrace some "universal--we are all one" type of mentality only. It doesn't mean that I don't value harmony. I think it is possible to be true to yourself and your heritage without having to separate yourself from the whole.
It is all circles within circles. My inner circles of self will reflect a greater and greater degree of specificity--me, my family, my extended family, my cultural family/tribe, my nationality, my continent, the world....it gets broader as you go farther out. Some people just refuse to see themselves as part of the larger whole. You can't erase who you are and on the deepest, most broadest sense, we are all one. On the deepest, most narrow sense, we are. There is a whole smorgesboard in between. I try not to get caught up in the fact that someone's smorgesboard might have seafood on it, which I hate, and translate that into hate for that person.
