MCEDITORIAL
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY YA’LL
As my dad would say, “I’m of Irish distraction.” I’m one of those people who doesn’t believe in calling myself anything but an American. I’m an American and proud of the fact. I’m not Irish American (I wasn’t born in Ireland); I’m plain old American. Ok, So I was born in the mountains of West Virginia to a family with a proud Irish last name. Some people think of my home state as another country any way so I may be an American ‘Hill Billy’ but I’m a proud one.
Getting right down to the nitty gritty of it all, on my mom’s side of the family there were Dutch, English, Lenne LaNape Delaware Indian, and ancestors with German names. Dad’s ancestors were French, Irish, German, and Cherokee Indian as far as we can determine. I had a Great Great Grandmother whose last name was Bush (her father came from Germany) and who knows, I may be related to the President of the United States.
Ancestors from both sides of my family fought in the Civil War and they fought for both the North and the South sides. McCune brothers fought against McCune brothers and McCune cousins fought against McCune cousins, but they were still all born Americans. Their fathers came from Ireland to become Americans.
I think people born in this country should be proud enough to call themselves Americans, not Irish Americans, not French Americans, not Mexican Americans, not African Americans, not White Americans, not Black Americans, not Red Americans, not Yellow Americans, not Brown Americans, and OK, we’ll throw in not Green Americans, not Orange Americans, not Purple Americans and not Rainbow Americans in case I’ve missed anybody who thinks they should be ‘special’. I didn’t forget Native Americans. I think ‘any one’ born here is a Native American and it doesn’t mean just the American Indian.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be proud of your ancestral roots; I never said that. Just be proud that you live in a country that announces, to all of the world, “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses . . ..” And to those approaching our borders to become citizens, when you get here I hope you announce to the world, “I have chosen to become an AMERICAN and I’ll be a proud one.”
Ok send your letters of agreement or your hate mail to Associate Editor Ray McCune, 2700 Lower Huntington Road, Waynedale, IN 46809.
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