Why do we need to have a designation of ethnicity; a Hyphen? What is it that determines the actual usage of, the fixing of, and location of, the Hyphen? To what advantage does the use of ethnic designating hyphen advance a people?

To answer the argument we contend; simply by using any such designation adds to segregation, bigotry, hatred, class consciousness and other potentially demeaning or stereotyping of individuals or entire groups of peoples. In so doing the stigma of: “I am better than you, smarter, better looking, generally more desirable”. The biggest perpetrator of the class system in America (and we are really saying the United States of America; not South America, Central America or Canada) is our wonderful governmental system, be it local, state or national. The federal government being the worst. By categorizing peoples they can better control segments of the economy, segment voting groups and any number of aspects of daily life. Each and every form filled out has such designations. These designations are purported to aide many census weighted distributions of monies allocating and activation of these programs. Purposeful programs to supposedly right some long ago wrongs to one group or another. Leaving some categories, a stigma of underclass, needing help from big government because they are unable to care for themselves.

Let’s face it, we all know who we are and where we come from, keeping our heritage alive is a great thing while it should not keep our national identity from being torn apart. We all have our stories of persecution, a family growing up in WWII were frowned upon speaking German so some heritage was lost, but they survived. We should keep our individuality, heritage and such, which is a large part of being American. But to live in this country natural born and more so as a new comer, we all should be first and foremost American. Throw away the labels that allow the government to keep all people from being equal: having one identity. As long as any one group insists upon having their own special national identity they segregate themselves from others. Do we all each have to be several times hyphenated to distinguish: race, religion, creed, sexual preference, age, and Coke, Pepsi or spring water drinker. It is a ridiculous premise and needs to be halted. We all look to other countries where people are separated by: religion, caste, cult, ethnicity, etc and see all the internal strife, conflict and wars it can cause. We in America look to these peoples and see how pathetic these differences of ruling classes and a hyphenated class seem to us and in disbelief wonder how long it will take them to come to their senses. All the while we do the same or worse, as Americans, with the use of a simple tool the hyphen.

Years ago confronted by a young black as he was starting out working under me. He demanded he be referred to as an African-American. When queried as to when he came from Africa he said no, he was born in the U.S.A. never left the country. Well I said you should go into the front office and check with the president/owner of the company for whom you are working. A white man, naturalized citizen, born and raised in South Africa. Should he not also, or more so, be considered an African-American a descendant of that continent.

So what determines an African-American? Is it: color, passport, religion, family history, as a proponents of the “Yes” side we certainly do not know and just as certainly wish this practice which helps to keep us divided be ended once and for all. Besides hasn’t science today told us “Lucy”, the mother of us all; came from Africa?