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Flame » in reply to re: Chinese restaurants and pizza parlors

re: Chinese restaurants and pizza parlors
Mary Anne — (archived)

I always thought that multi-culturalism was that we were to spend tax dollars "preserving" anything other than the American culture [which like a horrible weed- requiring liberal doses of agent orange].

Which American culture is that? The one that celebrates Mardi Gras? The one that holds St. Patrick's Day parades? The one that commemorates Juneteenth? The one that sells little paper lanterns in K-Mart for Chinese New Year?

In my town we're spending tax money, and privately raised money, to preserve a log structure that dates from 1720 and to run a history museum out of it. We do history camps there for the local children that show them aspects of the local multicultural background of the community: Native American, Scotch-Irish, English, Pennsylvania Dutch, and (in the 19th century) Italian, who were stoneworkers come to work in the quarries. We do a piece on the Underground Railroad, that came through here. Some day we may do one on the Mexican farmworkers who have worked here seasonally since before World War II. Many of them have become citizens, but are still seasonal workers because they follow the crops. What of this is not American?

Before you can convince me that to support multicultural activities is unAmerican, you will have to demonstrate which of the activities is itself unAmerican. I would also appreciate knowing where in this country Independence Day, or any other event or object that is uniquely American, will not be supported because it's uniquely American.

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