Cultural Eraser

Americans have been infamous for erasing other cultures.

Most of you know a brief history of the U.S., all of you should know that there were people here before the Europeans. All of you should know that we pushed them out of their land and destroyed cultures and families. Some people refer to this as the United States Holocaust.

Which, you know, it was.

I have said before that I believe it is possible to live together with diversity and with out conflict.

I know it was possible for them, too.

Right now I am taking an American Indian Literature class. And the professor always reminds us that our ancestors were not violent. This is reassuring.

It wasn't just with American Indians. And this isn't in the past.

Let's talk about American Indian Boarding schools. Those existed in the U.S. until the 1960s. Many of you probably do not know what those are. American Indian Boarding schools were a way to take the 'savage out of the Indian.' The U.S. government snatched children from their homes at young ages (earliest I heard of was 3 years old) and took them to boarding schools far away from their families.

These boarding schools were designed by a military individual. The students were uniformed and not allowed to speak their native language or practice those traditions. Because this went on for a century, many American Indian cultures traditions were erased. Even their languages has disappeared.

Is 1960s not soon enough for you?

Let's talk about the Somalis.

We have a chance to make our past mistakes that: past mistakes.

But people are too ignorant to notice that we are making the same mistakes all over again.

Most Somalis are Muslims and their religion requires them to pray 5 times a day, everyday. This seems to be a huge problem for everyone. This does not effect Christian Americans in any way, and it is only a disturbance when individuals try to stop Muslims from following their religious traditions.

Today, many Americans are trying to stop the ceremonies of other cultures. TODAY. This is not in the past. By stopping the ceremonies, the traditions of these cultures, these cultures will disappear.

I do not know why people are so affected by Muslims praying every day and five times a day thing. It doesn't effect me.

Locally, this is what is happening in my area. Muslims, some Americans, some Immigrants and some visiting, are getting prohibited from practicing their religion. I see no wrong in allowing individuals of the Muslim faith to pray.

Maybe I'm not seeing something. Is it really that wrong to allow 15 minutes maybe three times a school or work day for people to pray. If you think that it is unfair for the non-Christian workers, make it a break for everyone.

There is this argument that Christians don't recieve breaks for praying or religious activities.

Why are so many stores with limited hours on Sundays? Why do we have Christmas off? Why in the world is everything closed on Easter? Ahh, yes. Because of the Christians. Just because Christians are not receiving daily 'breaks' or accommodations does not mean Christians do not recieve anything.

Sadly Americans are not stopping at the United States. Many are going overseas as missionaries to try to 'change the world' as the 'hands of God'. I have no problem with education. I have no problem with Churches raising money to help 3rd World Countries. I do have a problem when people trying to convert anyone who isn't their religion. These people have cultures, religions and traditions. These people do not need our God. What they need is education about surviving, maybe english, maybe some training for jobs.

One of the United States biggest faults is what they did to American Indian cultures, and Irish American cultures, and Italian American cultures, Mexican American cultures, Chinese American Culture, and African American cultures.

Yes, it is just not one ethnicity we did this too, it was every ethnicity that 'Americans' came across.

We erased their culture. We erased everyone's culture. Making America seem cultureless and boring.