ETHNIC BACKGROUND
I had a memorable discussion with a friend who was very much offended that a woman had asked her, “where are you from?”. My friend is 100% Chinese but born and raised here in the states, and the inquisitive woman was a white southern bell, so to speak. My friend felt that she should have been asked “where did you grow up”, and that the woman's phrasing was racist and ignorant.
This got me thinking about ethnic heritage, and when we are proud we can be sensitive. We in the melting pot of the United States are so beautifully blended together, and no matter how little of our bloodline is Italian we wear that flag proudly. Being 100% of one ethnic descent is becoming rare. Where do we come from and when is it culturally insensitive to claim a bloodline's culture? If you're less than a 1/4? In that case, what are we in the US (myself included) really doing on St. Patrick's day, Cinco De Mayo, or even Thanksgiving? What is appropriate differs from person to person. I just know all cultures are beautiful and should be celebrated.
