brothers

  In listening to the news of the new Pope, something I offered my opinion on yesterday, I keep hearing about his Creole roots. The black community is celebrating the first black Pope is what I've heard. I'm certain there are black Catholics in America, although I can't say as I ever met any. But I didn't know that Creole was black, I thought Creole was being Creole. I haven't heard any comments from those that are Creole, wonder what their take on that is. All of that isn't important to me though, just a matter of curiosity. I'm amused by the claiming of heritage and ancestry these days. It's like it's a race to claim some prize or privilege. I see it as a part of the "me too" movement that was so popular not long ago. Oh, me too! Yeah, okay you're whatever.

  My ancestors were German, Swedish and English peoples. I did a DNA thing with Ancestry.Com and got that pie chart. Yes, what a surprise my ancestors came from all over the place and some I had no idea about. Thing with that is it doesn't change what I am. I'm a white American guy from the New England region of the United States of America. I am not German, Swedish or English. I have no first hand knowledge of any of their customs or beliefs. I was never subjected to that culture, to their governments or involved with those folks in any way. No, I'm just an American. We are whatever culture we are raised in and there is no changing that, no picking a nationality or ethnicity. You can't do that any more than you can pick your gender. Changing pronouns has nothing to do with that.

  I have known people that want to tell you of their relationship to some celebrity, like that makes them a celebrity. For me, this claiming of your ancestry falls in the same category. Yes, my great grandfather was a man named Christian Reichart and arrived in the United States in 1855. He was a German. I was born in the United States in 1953, I am an American. My grandmother was born in Munkfors, Sweden and came to America through Ellis Island in 1899. My mother, her daughter was born in America and was an American. That's how that works. I'm amused today when we are using our DNA to identify ourselves. Go back far enough and we are all related to one another. We are all just one thing.

  The deal is what those folks are attempting to claim is culture. What's strange is most do not even know what that culture entails. Consider this, what is black culture? Is it different from African culture? I suspect that it certainly is a bit different, seeing as how it has been one hundred and sixty five years since a black African was brought against their will to America. Heck, I suspect there are differences in black culture even in Africa itself. And not all black people come from Africa, there are black Germans, Swedes, Italians, Greeks and every other culture on the planet. Your skin tone doesn't define your culture! If I were to say all black people are the same I would be called a racist, prejudicial and biased! Yet, black people are trying to tell me all black people are the same, claiming that based on their skin tone. My feeling is the Pope is no more a black man than I am. My feeling is also, it doesn't make a bit of difference.  

  Here's what AI has to say about culture: "Culture encompasses the shared behaviors, beliefs, values, and practices of a group of people, including their language, religion, cuisine, social habits, and artistic expressions. It's essentially the way of life of a particular group, differentiating them from others. Culture is learned through socialization and shapes how individuals perceive and interact with the world." Notice it didn't mention color. There is a reason for that. Color doesn't define culture. Do you think Pope Leo embraces black culture? His skin tone certainly isn't black so it has to be his culture that is black, that Creole in him. Seems like he would be more inclined to be an alligator hunter if he were a creole. But he was raised in the south side of Chicago, a white American catholic kid. That is his culture, his background. No, he's not one of the brothers. But he is your brother. 

                                                                            

There are many varieties of apples, each looking a bit different from the others, but all are apples.

It's the same way with people, just depends upon which orchard you come from.