Ticker 01


Ticker 01
By: Kevin Bryant

My daughter & I were having a conversation recently and I made a statement that there are fundamental differences in how many blacks and whites see equality in America. Some have the mentality of today where all are equal with equal opportunities so long as you work hard and apply yourself to the task of obtaining that which you want. I referenced Barack Obama and how 20 years ago it would not have been remotely possible for a black man to become president.

She stopped me at that point and attempted to correct me for having called him black instead of African-American. I responded with “That’s another ticker of mine. I don’t believe in using hyphenated terms when speaking about Americans. If you a citizen of this country then you are an American first and where your ancestors come from are irrelevant’.

(What I define as a ticker: a belief or action that blatantly defies all logic and / or common sense)

This country is made up of immigrants who in the 1700’s, 1800’s and a good portion of the 1900’s who wanted to call themselves Americans. They came here legally and many of their happiest days were when they obtained their citizenship.

They recognized the need to change and adapt to the American ways and customs. At the same time, they knew the importance of holding on to their own convictions and faith. They were proud to be one with this nation. They did the best they could to learn English, even taking classes at night to so as to be more productive in society. The demanded their children to learn the language and to speak it at every opportunity. When America needed them, the children of these immigrants were the first to volunteer to fight for their new country and defend the freedoms & liberties that they came here seeking.

Today there are many organizations that represent different races, cultures and religions, beliefs and sexual orientation. They no longer want nor wish America to be the melting pot it once was. They demand recognition for their differences and are even encouraged by government to do so.

“A house divided against itself can not stand” – Abraham Lincoln

It is my opinion that every citizen of the United States should consider themselves Americans above anything else. We should all be proud to be Americans and doing everything within our power to better this nation as a whole. There is no longer a place in society for special treatment because of race or religion, sexual orientation or anything else that might set us apart as individuals.

No more. No more African – Americans, Asian – Americans, Mexican – Americans or anything else. If you want those labels, then move back to that region which your family came from. America has been divided long enough. It’s time for us to demand that labels that divide be abolished. Organizations that encourage division like the NAACP, La Razza, American Muslim Alliance, Code Pink and others be forced to lose their non-profit status and be declared racist and discriminatory in nature. Even congress and state governments need to abolish the black caucus that exists within them and we should demand that they do. They serve no purpose than to gain preferential treatment and further divide the citizens of this country.

On this subject, Theodore Roosevelt said it best: “There can be no fifty-fifty Americanism in this country. There is room here for only 100% Americanism, only for those who are Americans and nothing else”.