"I'm proud to be white. I bet no one passes this on because they are scared to be called a racist."

[EffieBlack]

28. An important distinction for you to consider

White Americans have always been unashamedly proud of the country, which has usually been seen as a white nation. Therefore, they’ve never had to openly self-identify as white - it went without saying.

On the other hand, blacks and other marginalized groups were “others” who’s accomplishments, beauty, and fundamental value and self-worth were ignored and denied. But in the last 5 or so decades, we’ve begun to reconnect with and assert our own contributions and accomplishments. So, perhaps to some people, it might sound like we’re expecting a double standard (“Why do THEY get to be proud of who they are but WE can’t?”), in reality, we are simply doing what white folk have been doing for centuries - expressing pride in who we are, where we’ve come from and what our people have accomplished. The difference is that you get to see yourselves as just “Americans,” which usually means WHITE Americans, while we’re still trying to get the rest of the country to view us the same way. And the first step toward that is to recognize and appreciate who we are as human beings, something that white Americans have always had the privilege to take as a given regarding themselves.

That’s why white people can unashamedly brag about the accomplishments of the Founding Fathers - even though the had nothing to do with anything they did - and proudly celebrate the 4th of July - even though not a one of them fought in the Revolution.

It’s why black parents across the country forced school districts to add Black History classs to the curriculum - our role in American history has been dismissed and ignored. The only way this information could be taught was as a separate discipline - and then WE got blamed for being divisive. I can point to countless other instances BET, Black History Month, Congressional Black Caucus, the African American Museum, etc., etc.

In addition, blacks and other groups have accomplished and contributed enormously to this country DESPITE having to overcome unbelievable obstacles put in our way by the people who benefitted most by them and the very nation we were giving to. I don’t care WHAT you or anyone else thinks - I am unspeakably proud of that. Despite being crapped, we continued to love and fight and die for this country and remain true to it when I suspect most white folks would have said, “fuck this” and either violently revolted or gotten the hell out of dodge. But we stayed and overcame. So yes, we HAVE accomplished a lot and we have every reason to be proud.