Define yourself as simply American

Let me get this straight. When a black person spouts their black pride it's justified, but when a white person does the same it's a hate crime? Personally I believe obsessive racial pride is misdirected.

We who live in this country should have national pride. It's great to be proud of one's heritage, but when people identify themselves as "African Americans," "Mexican Americans," "Italian Americans," etc., they are putting themselves apart from the other groups that make up this great country. We need to drop the hyphenated monikers... we are all Americans.

Scott Wilhelm

Des Plaines