Proud-American

Some people these days think it would be a good idea to completely drop ethnic identities and simply all be Americans, plain and simple Americans. They think this will somehow defeat racism and prejudice. This name, however, generalizes an entire nation of people with completely different backgrounds. People call themselves African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Asian-American, and so on, because that is what they are. It would be wrong to ignore a person’s heritage when it is so important to so many individuals.

When America was a new nation, people fought incredible hardships to be able to come to this great land of freedom. They were seeking a new life where they could live happier and more successfully than they would in their homeland, not because they were trying to escape their heritage. These people were not ashamed of their background. Instead, they proved that their people were strong and determined enough to not give up and become a part of this great nation. Not acknowledging their ethnic identity would be the same as ignoring the fact that the person may be proud of his heritage and wants everyone to know where he comes from.

Many people had a very hard time adjusting to life in America, such as the Irish, because they were not necessarily welcomed openly. The Irish, in general, had a very hard time finding work and living safe lives in the early years of American history. These people never gave up on their dreams of becoming Americans. They weren’t trying to forget that they were Irish, but they still wanted to be American. Therefore, we call them Irish-Americans. After years of struggle, the Irish became accepted members of American society. Today Irish-Americans live a free, equal opportunity American life. This is a background to be very proud of. That is why they take pride in calling themselves Irish-Americans. Stripping them of their ethnic identity would be the same as taking away their pride and ignoring the struggles their ancestors...