All the human colours of the rainbow - US style

It takes all sorts to make the USA go round

A few years ago the Daily Mail got all excited and published an article suggesting that Americans would be foreigners in their own country in 50 years. Euphemism followed euphemism but the general gist was that white people would be outnumbered by non-whites. So what, I thought when I read it. Is America a white country? It used to be British, then George Washington got the hump with the king, if only a little hump. Things carried on more or less as usual after independence, then came the Civil War, between men with very English names and the 20th century beckoned. All the while the Irish, Germans, Italians, etc were entering the country. Now its full of every nation under the sun. And the indigenous Indians are still waiting for compensation. Are we to be alarmed that the largest immigrant based country on earth is not going to be a pure white country? I hope not.

The BBC today reveals that non-white births now outnumber white ones in the US. As if to say this is a matter that needs some addressing. Shakespeare wrote lines for Shylock in the Merchant of Venice - "If you prick us, do we not bleed?" - and that applies today as well. Blood is not different except by groups.

Maybe I'm wrong, but there is an implied race judgement here. The United States was created as a new land of opportunity for old established peoples, many of whom lacked opportunity for advancement where they were. Immigrants have made the United States what it is. However, those who think it is a white country with non-white people in it are deluding themselves. Those days are gone. Whilst some of the colonial history may be useful for the tourist industry, most of America has no mental or physical link with the thirteen colonies. I've had the Fourth of July in California and nobody seemed remotely attached to any idea of kicking a king out. Far too hot for thinking anyway.

No, America will be a totally mixed race, mixed religion, mixed up a bit place in this century. And there's nothing wrong with that.

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