I mean, the process by which I came to have an Arabic surname coming from a place 3,000 miles away from the Middle East was not exactly bunnies and rainbows.
I hear what you’re saying, but it seems to me like you’re calling for a moral double standard. It implicitly assumes that Americans have a capacity to behave to a higher standard than Bangladeshis or Indians or Chinese. I remember talking with someone about Trump voters, and I mentioned I had no trouble understanding them because they’re reacting just like Bangladeshis would if the shoe were on the other foot. And this very liberal white lady says disgustedly: “well, this isn’t Bangladesh.” One of the only times I’ve ever encountered a white American express to my face that they believe they’re morally superior.
No moral double standard, just standard. I believe American culture is deficient in many aspects, and so requires change and criticism is one vehicle for this. Similarly, Arab, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, etc culture will have its deficiencies.
For a long time America has this belief of “exceptionalism” and sometimes to a crazy degree where its people act like they are the center of the world. That the cracks are showing and people are recognizing unfairness is a laudable thing.
Your first paragraph makes a great observation, that your culture is intrinsically tied to historical factors, in this case political dominance and religious and cultural spread.
So the habits a person of a certain culture has, these are rooted in what they inherited of this culture. These habits are a result of historical influences, which includes previously mentioned inequities, wealth gaps, etc.
I hear what you’re saying, but it seems to me like you’re calling for a moral double standard. It implicitly assumes that Americans have a capacity to behave to a higher standard than Bangladeshis or Indians or Chinese. I remember talking with someone about Trump voters, and I mentioned I had no trouble understanding them because they’re reacting just like Bangladeshis would if the shoe were on the other foot. And this very liberal white lady says disgustedly: “well, this isn’t Bangladesh.” One of the only times I’ve ever encountered a white American express to my face that they believe they’re morally superior.
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