Quote:
But America doesn't legally acknowledge either of those holidays you mentioned. Nobody in the U.S. gets Sept 16 off paid. No post offices close, school is still in session on Cinco De Mayo, last I checked at least. I understand what you are saying, but that's why I used Thanksgiving in Japan as an example. No, it's not an official holiday there. But some of my new Japanese friends might wanna come to my feast and enjoy the holiday anyway. I would not consider it wrong that some Japanese people decide to embrace America's heritage. Sure, lots of Americans use Cinco De Mayo as an excuse to drink or party, but who cares? If some Americans want to celebrate a Mexican holiday for some odd reason, go for it.
Valentine's Day has nothing to do with Americans historically, yet most Americans love and embrace the holiday & schools all over the country work hard at creating valentines even though it has no traditional basis or significance to the U.S. So I guess my point is, holidays are simply a time to celebrate something, whether it be historically based, religiously based, or ethnically based. I personally do not care if people in America celebrate Cinco De Mayo, or if people in Japan have a Thanksgiving feast. It may be illogical, but I see no harm in anyone celebrating a joyous occasion whether it's "their holiday" or not.
I do agree with you that people should be people, not colors, but a group celebrating a moment in their culture or history just doesn't seem wrong to me. I think you mentioned Martin Luther King Day. Even though I'm white, I happen to take great pride in that holiday. Here in New Hampshire, our state motto is "Live Free or Die" and yet we were one of the last states to acknowledge Martin Luther King Day, and I think that is a shame. What a great man he was, why not celebrate his remembrance and what it means to so many? To me, Martin Luther King doesn't represent "black people". To me, he represents what a good American should be. Listening to his speeches make me feel good inside, and I know that my heart is color blind. So to me, that is celebrating a person, not his color.
