Tom Brokaw " Assimilation is Cultural Suppression"

Over a month ago, what was televised was a cumulative consciousness exploding, live in front of millions of people. In those quick minutes of discussion Tom Brokaw spoke the truth of millions of Americans and non-Americans; and that's not just people of white European Ancestry. Tom Brokaw was just the one to say it out loud on a public platform. In literally just under 60 seconds Tom Brokaw, in but a few words highlighted the dark secrets of this America. 




 " I also happen to believe that Hispanics should work harder at
 assimilation. That's one of the things I've been saying for a long time. 
You, know they ought not to be just codified in their communities but make 
sure that all their kids are learning to speak English and that they 
feel comfortable in the communities. And that's going to take outreach 
on both sides, frankly." -Tom Brokaw 2019



The America that has built wealth off of assimilation, from the taking over the land of the American Indians to enslaving African Americans and now the notion that "Hispanics need to work harder at assimilating"? Never once, has history told us that the European settlers assimilated into the Native American culture when they arrived, because, that did not happen, they invaded, colonized, exploited and dominated the culture, waged war against them and stole their land. That has been the history of Europeans in foreign land, facts and history show us that. 

Tom Brokaw statement was not only a direct racist attack it was a cold blow in the face, not only to Hispanics but for many other non-European people who have worked tirelessly and with great sacrifice to be here. So much so, that they live and suffer the affects of the stripping away of their culture through having to assimilate, just to be here. The land of free the home of the brave. 



                                             Tom Brokaw Assimilation Video Comment

 The great America's hands are dirty, filthy dirty. I sit and I ask myself, are we yet tired of these worn out, mediocre, low vibration, unintelligible, inhumane ways of thinking. As much history, as many debates, protest, marches, wars, motions, laws, we still really haven't gotten very far, if were still talking about assimilation, that amazes me. It leads me to ask, then just what, what have we been doing all this time? We are divinely here with such great purpose and time has been allotted to us all to grow, to change to evolve, to love, to serve one another.  Yet, we are still condemning one another for not "being", "being" what we want them to be? Or, is it even really just about that? Is it more about fear, fear of an inherent weakness, that needs to control or dominate humanity. Is it a deeply embedded inferiority complex that makes assimilation the end there of, a sinister way of disconnecting, weakening one from the strength of their roots and their identity, their power, thus weakening them individually so they are more malleable and they can be a useful abiding tool in the structure of this inhumane America to those that seek dominance and power?

I guess a question to be asked is, what happens when one or a group of people don't assimilate, and what are the direct benefits of assimilation to the larger society and the powers that be?  Why is assimilation necessary, and what is the bigger agenda? My logical explanations is that those who don't assimilate are not able to be "controlled" and used in the manner in which the great America wants to use them economically and  political



Having lived in one of the most diverse cities in the world, New York City to which I believe and have seen with my own eyes, a beautiful melting pot of cultures. A beautiful story of people from different cultures and walks of life that have sought America as their home for a barrage of reasons. Religious, economic, educational, political this list can go on. Many feel a sense of freedom, freedom to create the life they desire. And through that desire, yes, I believe they contribute not only to their individual communities but to the " American" community as a whole, they bring value through their culture, their ideas, their many ways of living, thinking and being. Through their individual identities we all learn so much, we learn tolerance, acceptance, love, compassion and we heal, yes we heal.....are these things of no value or valued less than "assimilating and speaking English?

While assimilating looks like were all one unit and there's strength in a unit, I think it's further from the truth. With the stripping away we loose our strength, we become weaker in a sense because we are not operating in the fullness of who we really are. Kind of like a "dumbing down" in a sense. We've all been stripped to some capacity in this America. What happens if we each maintained our and distinct inherent ethnic and cultural identities, the richness and value it offers all of humanity? It would  be impossible for the notion of assimilation to even exists. In terms of economy and political structure and power and for the financial health of major corporations we would all be harder to manage and impossible to be controlled, and the economic and political structure would be all to fragile and unpredictable for the ones who profit from it.  So, I would say assimilation is a weapon. 

After viewing the Tom Brokaw interview several times, I asked myself, is this really all about assimilating and speaking English. An my inner response says, not all, this isn't about English or assimilation. Is about ego based fear, the fear of what once was the dominant culture "European" loosing it's power and stance and the uncertainty of their future, the control it has had for gain at the expense and exploitation of all. This is not about caring of America's future or their fellow man.  

Having worked with so many different cultures, sitting at kitchen tables getting to know families, of varied demographics I was always struck by the level of courage and commitment and personal responsibility immigrant families had to being in "the Great America". Often, I would find, they worked harder on many levels, than a natural born American. The responsibility, privilege and sacrifice alone that they took in being here allowed them to see that their children "assimilated" into the American culture by all means necessary, even if that meant loosing parts of their culture and their roots as in their native language. That is the  real story of many, statistics will show the total opposite of Tom Brokaw's statement. Many immigrant families watch their children growing up and apart totally disconnected from their ethnic and cultural background at the cost of assimilating, which for them starts in school.

So much destruction  has bloodied the hands of  America. Are we just yet ready to collectively stop pointing the finger at who's not "doing", doing what we think they should be doing or what we want them to do for the "common good". Are we ready to really accept and bridge cultures and see the value and strength in them all together. Are we ready to let go of fear, the need to control the other and to let go of a skewed sense of power, success and most of all greed and  and to really see how powerful we all can be together; and how much we can contribute when we are "whole", not one, not a unit, but "whole" ...there are many parts to a whole... and not broken apart, white washed from assimilation. Are we really ready to do that. 




When I look at the existence of all of humanity and how diverse we all are, it's solidifies that there were some divine hands at play in our existence.  If God wanted us the same,  I think, he would have made us all the same, don't you think. God is a God of purpose, God is a God of intention. Not only were we given an opposite gender, we were given different languages,  different cultures, different destiny's, passions, personal aspirations, different physical characteristics like hair color, skin color, eye color, hair texture. Then he placed us all on this earth and says "now let me see what your going to do with all of "this".

The truth of the matter is, we've wasted so much time being consumed by all those things. Part of our business here is over coming what looks like differences, challenges, barriers or hindrance to really experience the wonder of divine love. In all of our business on this earth and personal quest for success and power and the soughting out of a personal agenda, we are to learn and perfect just a few things.

...love above all things, compassion, acceptance, tolerance and obedience to him and mankind.

 I know for sure we are collectively and divinely created for something greater than assimilation.


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