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Speak Your Mind About Issues Concerning Life In A Modern Multicultural Society. Submit your "voice" to us by filling out the questionnaire and we'll consider your answers for publication in Urban Mozaik Magazine. Here's what some of our readers have to say... The voice of: Debbie Age: 27 Birthplace: Chillicothe,Mo Residence: Chillicothe,Mo Mother’s birthplace: Chillicothe,Mo Maternal grandfather: Chillicothe,Mo Maternal grandmother: Chillicothe,Mo Father’s birthplace: Chillicothe,Mo Paternal grandfather: Chillicothe,Mo Paternal grandmother: Chillicothe,Mo Do you feel that new immigrants to North America should assimilate into the mainstream? Yes I do. This country is the melting pot of the world. Would your parents object to your dating or marrying a person who was a different race than you? My grandparents would. My parents know that I often date black men. What do you think of affirmative action and racial quotas in the workplace? I think everyone should have an equal opportunity no matter who they are. No, I don't believe in quotas. What do you think of signs on businesses that don't have any English on them? All sign should have some English on them. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your race or the color of your skin? Tell us about it? Yes, in a black-owned diner I was ignored service. What is your favorite "ethnic" food? Mexican food in Larado Mexico. Where do you live and where have you traveled where the culture was the most different from your own? USA. In Mexico, the culture was different. Do you feel that you are in touch with your culture of origin? Yes. I do. What percentage of your friends are able to speak a language other than English? 2 % In brief, describe your idea of a perfect world. A world where there was peace and people could live their beliefs of religion or could date and marry who they wanted to without discrimination. Do you feel uncomfortable if you are a minority in a room full of people who are all of one race? I have been with my boy friend at social gatherings and I was the only white person there. Some black women showed that I might not be 100 percent welcomed. Are you physically attracted to people of a different race? If so, why do you think you are? Yes, I am atracted to black men. They have treated me with respect and caring (at least the ones I have dated) and when it comes to sex they are not as demanding as some of the white men I have dated. And I enjoy sex with black men better. The voice of: Paul Watters Age: 44 Birthplace: Washington D.C. Residence: Northern Virginia Mother’s birthplace: Texas Maternal grandfather: Georgia Maternal grandmother: Texas Father’s birthplace: Florida Paternal grandfather: Georgia Paternal grandmother: Georgia Do you feel that new immigrants to North America should assimilate into the mainstream? Yes. You can keep your culture, but you need to communicate with and understand the mainstream. Assimilate doesn't have to mean "forget" or "deny". I think it means more like "get along with". Would your parents object to your dating or marrying a person who was a different race than you? What is a race? I dated an Iranian once! I married a Slav! What do you think of affirmative action and racial quotas in the workplace? I am against affirmative action. I am suspicious of percentage-based categorizing of people. For instance, there are many more poor whites than poor blacks. But we always say that blacks are dis-proportionally disadvantaged. The proportion-based view obscures the majority of the needy in the United States. What do you think of signs on businesses that don't have any English on them? If I'm interested I just go into the businesses and see what they are. I regularly shop in a Korean Grocery store, even though many of the items are not in English. When menu items in a Chinese restaurant are not translated, it makes me want to try that item more because I assume it's more authentic. So I ask! Have you ever been discriminated against because of your race or the color of your skin? Tell us about it? No, but I've been discriminated against because of my age. I had to sue my university (and won). People in Korean restaurants assume I won't like authentic Korean food because I'm white. They try to discourage me for ordering authentic food and I almost have to fight to convince them that I want it. Sometimes they still bring modified dishes and I have to ask why I can't get the same food as Koreans do! Eventually, they bring the correct dish if I'm persistent enough! What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? And where were you when you ate it? Cow's Blood Soup. Right here in the Washington D.C. area. What is your favorite "ethnic" food? Afghan food. Where do you live and where have you traveled where the culture was the most different from your own? I live in the Washington, D.C. area. Probably North Africa was the most different place I've been. Do you feel that you are in touch with your culture of origin? I have no emotional ties to my Scottish-Irish-German-Welsh heritage. But I suspect that my culture is similar to theirs. Have you ever traveled back to the homeland(s) of your ancestors? Why not, if you haven't? I like to travel to places that are different than my own culture. Traveling is a learning experience for me, not a time for leisure! What percentage of your friends are able to speak a language other than English? Most of my friends are not native to the U.S. In brief, describe your idea of a perfect world. A perfect world is one where there is no war, suffering, or hunger. Do you or did you ever wish that you were of another race? If so, why? I don't think of myself in terms of race. Do you feel uncomfortable if you are a minority in a room full of people who are all of one race? I try to find the commonality I have with any group of people. Are you physically attracted to people of a different race? If so, why do you think you are? I'm attracted to people from any race. The voice of: Camille Anderson Age: 37 Birthplace: Toronto Residence: Toronto Mother’s birthplace: Canada Maternal grandfather: Canada Maternal grandmother: Canada Father’s birthplace: Canada Paternal grandfather: Canada Paternal grandmother: Canada Do you feel that new immigrants to North America should assimilate into the mainstream? Anyone expecting that is being unreasonable. I know that if I went to live elsewhere I wouldn't be able (or want to) abandon my Canadian qualities to fit it and become part of the culture I'd moved to. I suppose a common language would be a priority for sake of communication and understanding others. Would your parents object to your dating or marrying a person who was a different race than you? My folks live in a very white bread rural area so it would be unusual but not a total shock since they know that the city I live in is made up of so many races. No matter as long as that person made me happy. I like telling them about the variety of people I meet in the city because it broadens their horizons as well. I think that if the person I was with came from another country my parents would be curious about them as interesting people rather than meet them with a wall of xenophobia. What do you think of affirmative action and racial quotas in the workplace? To me that's a mental dilemma. It's still questionable when and if race or gender is the primary factor when hiring someone. I guess you have to look at it like a catalyst. Speeding up a process. And you know that 'older guard' would keep things just as they are without someone reminding them to be fair and pointing out to them that they are wrong to rule out fully qualified individuals due to race. It's trying to enforce fairness and a moral sense. Like nailing jello to the wall. Just takes a while. What do you think of signs on businesses that don't have any English on them? As a person who only speaks English it's intimidating to enter shops where I have no idea what things are or how much they cost. If I'm in an extroverted and curious mood I like the adventure of no English and but most times I'm wanting the convenience of English. It comes from the fear that I can't communicate so I avoid them. At least with signs that include English and another language it gives me hope that I'll enter and be able to communicate with someone. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your race or the color of your skin? Tell us about it? The only time my skin color is even slightly noted is in the depth of summer. I'm paler than most white people so I get mocked for that when all others are tawny. I tend to be very aware of my lack of pigment but have never been discriminated against due to the color of my skin. What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? And where were you when you ate it? Stinky 100 year old eggs. Sulphery and awful. Some people think they're a treat. Experienced at a friends multicultural dinner. We used to eat cow tongue jelly as kids. Icky. Heart too. I don't eat much cow anymore. What is your favorite "ethnic food"? Recently discovered Turkish food. DEEEElicious and healthy. Where do you live and where have you travelled where the culture was the most different from your own? Live in T.O. Home of consumers and toss away waste. Limited travel experience but the most different was Jamaica. They make do with very little and re-use most everything in the outskirts of towns Do you feel that you are in touch with your culture of origin? I come from an Anglo/Scot background mainly. There's so much of it around it's hard to be out of touch. Celtic overkill. Have you every travelled back to your homeland(s) of your ancestors? My dad would like for me to see Scotland. He was born in Canada but pines for 'over home' where the Andersons came from. He and my Mom have been there many times. I will go there eventually but there's so much in the world to see. I haven't even seen much of Canada yet. In brief, describe your idea of a perfect world. A world with as little conflict as possible and a better way to deal with the little disagreements there were. Do you or did you ever wish that you were of another race? If so, why? Depends on the day. If I see a beautiful black woman I envy that. Next Tuesday I may see a Nordic woman and wish for blue eyes. I don't feel cultural envy because I feel like I'm steeping in it, walking amongst it all in the city. I get a good exposure to a variety of races in the city through friends and in the variety of neighborhoods. Are you physically attracted to people of a different race? If so, why do you think you are? I've been attracted to men of every skin color. All races have aesthetically attractive people. Do you feel uncomfortable if you are a minority in a room full of people who are all of one race? Yes, but eventually the novelty wears off and I'll start to speak to more and more people and they become eyes and names and personalities rather than skin colors and race. The voice of: Bill Burnett Age: 55 Birthplace: Oakland, CA Residence: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii Mother’s birthplace: Amarillo, TX Maternal grandfather: Chicago, IL Maternal grandmother: Chicago, IL Father’s birthplace: Canyon, TX Paternal grandfather: unknown Paternal grandmother: unknown Do you feel that new immigrants to North America should assimilate into the mainstream? Yes, they must or could find themselves alienated. It must be difficult to come to a new land and not be able to find a way to fit in. I have no problems with any type of immigration. We need to get over this thing about country, and boundaries, and land, we are human and we must live together Would your parents object to your dating or marrying a person who was a different race than you? No. My intention is to spend the rest of my life with an African American beauty now in my life, and it excites me like nothing before. What do you think of affirmative action and racial quotas in the workplace? Government bull shit. What do you think of signs on businesses that don't have any English on them? I truly feel that if you want to live in America you should know the language. However, I believe people should also keep their own language to use within the family and amongst those merchants of the same race. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your race or the color of your skin? Tell us about it? Never. What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? And where were you when you ate it? Well, I guess it would have been fresh raw fish when I first came to Hawaii 25 years ago. What is your favorite "ethnic food"? My favorite food would be Kung Pao chicken. I truly love it. Where do you live and where have you travelled where the culture was the most different from your own? Live on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. I have traveled most of the United States and Canada. The most different cultures would have to be the Native Alaskans and the Native Hawaiians. Do you feel that you are in touch with your culture of origin? Never think anything about it. Being Caucasian doesn't require such. Have you every travelled back to your homeland(s) of your ancestors? No. Never. Do not know from where they came since I was adopted. In brief, describe your idea of a perfect world. A perfect world is one with no kings, queens, governors, presidents, senators, boundaries, countries. A perfect world will be one in which individual liberty is held to the highest esteem with no one making so called laws to procure what is an inherent God given right in the first place. There will be no government. Government is only people, people we have allowed to rule over us by something called a vote. We must realize our human dignity and governments have only one desire and that is to destroy human dignity and make us think it is the right thing to do. Are you physically attracted to people of a different race? If so, why do you think you are? Yes, I am very much attracted to the female Asian and African race, because they are beautiful - probably the most beautiful women on the planet. I have no idea of why I feel this way. It is just a part of me.
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 Illustration by Myron Macklin Many who know Myron Macklin know him as an artist’s artist. He had a natural progression from Saturday morning cartoons to comic books to the insightful world a illustration. He left his home town of Rocky Mount, N.C. to study graphic design and illustration at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He says his most valuable lesson that he took home from college was ‘learning how to learn’. Myron is working on a book which he terms as an amalgam of interests he hopes to get published one day. More of his work can be found at www.dragonklan.com/macklin. |
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