Amarillo College Ranger

Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Notions

Jake Fox

I was in a journalism class at Amarillo College when a woman asked if it was better to describe someone as black or African American.

That got me thinking: how would I describe myself?

By the same rules, should I be called white or English German Scottish Dutch Comanche American? Or maybe I should just be American, American.

The fact of the matter is, anyone born in or legally immigrated into these United States is an American. No prefix required.

In a country castrated by political correctness, many subjects have been deemed rude, taboo or offensive, but what about just downright unnecessary? Most of the time, mention of color is irrelevant in the first place, but if it does come up, why should we have to tip-toe around it?

Now don't get me wrong; to hate or treat someone differently due to their heritage or skin color is both immoral and ignorant. It's certainly nothing to make light of, but with that having been said, it does not need to be blown out of proportion, either.

As a Caucasian, (feel free to call me white; it won't hurt my feelings) I have no celebrated national history month, no designated White Entertainment Television, no United Caucasian College Fund, no LULAC, no National Association for the Advancement of White People, and I would be touted as a bigot if I were to seriously suggest the creation of any of those institutions. What really makes those establishments insulting and un-American, though, is the utter hypocrisy of claiming to strive for equality while, in fact, discouraging people from membership based solely on their skin color.

The term commonly given is reverse racism, but there's nothing reversed about it. It's racism, pure and simple.

These are organizations that, for the most part, were created to fight segregation, but now all Americans, regardless of their skin color, can vote, attend the school of their choice, join the work force and so on. Is it a perfect system? Of course not, but it certainly doesn't make it any better to have organizations that are parading the bad history.

When anyone can run for Ms. America, what statement is left in the existence of Ms. Black America contests? The only message that logically can be derived is that someone sees a difference, someone sees a lack of equality, and it's not the contest that's welcoming all races.

If I need help going to college, what should stop me from asking the UNCF for scholarship funds? No one is refused the Pell Grant due to his or her skin color.

One fellow AC student told me she would be voting for Obama because "we're just so proud of him," referring to his skin color. Now, personally I'm not voting for Obama because I disagree with his policies, but explain to me why I can't be equally proud of him, not because of something petty and unimportant like his race, but because of something that actually matters: the fact that he's an American citizen.

As I said before, our system is not perfect. There always will be people who fear and hate others because they don't look the same.

Honestly though, it certainly doesn't help responding to that situation by further entrenching the idea that skin color equals inequality with the promotion of racist ideas and organizations disguised as something they are not.

I am not proud because of my color, I am proud because I am an American, and I feel sorry for anyone who cannot say the same.

Jake Fox is the Ranger assistant Web editor. He can be reached at jdfox@my.actx.edu.

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