As a tall pale male who is more smart, kind and fun than neo nazi Richard Spencer, I reject his ridiculous Eurocentric, ethnocentric, simple minded ideology. It is a bunch of convenient lies wrapped in a big rosy self serving lie that Europeans have one distinct culture that is ideal and good. Tell that to the Irish, Do you identify with the Irish who have suffered slavery, imperialism, and invasions from their neighbors, in particularly the English, who blended with the Saxons after they invaded, learned imperialism from the Romans and ruled the world? Or do you see yourself as a commander in the Royal Navy, commanding a ship to new lands? Dude, you need a time machine, not a ship.The British indeed ruled the world ! Until they did not because the truth is that empires are not permanent things.
Identities are not permanent things. They change and adapt and grow and contract. Our identities, both national and personal are influenced by class, climate, music , art, and too many variables to say there is one European identity. To wish that descendants of Europeans in the United States have a common identity and are misunderstood heroes is silly. And dangerous. A group of white people doing the fascist salute and shouting "Hail Trump" are prone to the kind of madness that makes nations drop bombs, build walls, demand religious registration and demand homogenization. Spencer, that is not what descent people want.
What do people want? The people in Black Lives Matter want the police to treat them like they treat me. The Water Protectors want their treaties to be respected and the water to not be poisoned. My retired friends want to get their Social Security checks so they can keep the heat on and eat. Trumps friend Paul Ryan wants to take that away and give it to his white collar criminal friends while Donald has everyone rabid over his great big wall. Inversely proportional to his integrity.
You know what I want? I want to listen to some fine European music! Nothing says apex of European culture like symphonic music. Maybe some Antonin Dvorak. Ahh yes, the New World Symphony. But wait! This music features elements from African music! Hmm, maybe Mozart's March of the Janissaries? OH, the multiculturalism ! Maybe just some Zepplin then. They were English! Oh, they loved blues music. Even Page's cover of Black Mountain Side is a tribute to the fact that music and cultures blend and influence each other.
I love living in the multi cultural, multi religious, multi dimensional land that is the United States of America. I love that people of all backgrounds give me the benefit of the doubt and do not think that I identify with you and your beliefs. I am not the victim here and reject the idea that I and my identity are being repressed. May we live in Peace. Art Biggs
