The Black Friend ~ errors

 Author Frederick Joseph made a few mistakes in The Black Friend.

He stated that Trayvon Martin was killed by the police. No, Martin was murdered by George Zimmerman, who was found not guilty due to Florida's Stand Your Ground (or it is my) laws. Sad Martin did not live to say he was standing his ground when Zimmerman attacked him, simply for wearing a hoodie in the rain. 

He said "America was founded on multiculturalism." He explained it as the "melting pot." Well, no. When forefathers declared all men were created equal, that did not include multi-cultures. The country was 100 years new when the Statue of Liberty was erected, and the poem "give us your tired, your hungry, your poor," became the mantra. Natives of the land were not allowed to occupy land they used to ~ moved to Reservations. There culture not accepted. 

The author should know that. He complains that white people do not know "we" stole the land from Indians. In 2023 I would guess everyone over 18 must know about what colonists did unto the many tribes living here. He might also realize, that Spain, and France helped populate the North Americas. "We" fought a war with Mexico to take some disputed territory. Chinese were brought to the U.S. of A. to help build railroads. Do not know it their culture was part of U.S. of A. culture.

Japanese Americans were put in detention camps, many losing their homes and livelihoods. Many years after the U.S. of A. became a nation it became the "melting pot." Women were finally created equal as were former slaves. Or almost equal. Intermarriage changed the complexion of U.S. citizens. My father predicted that one day we would all be the same. His marriage was called a "mixed marriage" back then; Italian/German. He was born in Italy, she, in the U.S. of A. Yet both families opposed to marrying outside their nationalities and faiths. 

Just yesterday, I read an article that a Charter School insisted that a 6-year-old cut off his long braids.The boy was embracing his Native heritage, ie: culture. If  "we" were founded on multiculturalism, his hairstyle would be be accepted. I would say "we" were founded on anti-culturism. Assimilate or be ostracized, kicked out of school, or ridiculed in Congress. 

I say "we" that way as I was born in the U.S. of A. long after the nation was founded. Maybe saying "they" is more appropriate for long dead founders of the country, and presidents that followed. Today's Congress in no way reflects the diversity of its citizens. There are, however, many members who melted from various nationalities.