Where is Your Homeland?

Where is your homeland?

Not just where are you from, but where did your ancestors come from? How did they get you to where you are now? Where did your great great great  grandparents come from? What did they believe in? What was important to them? … Is that important to you?

Wikipedia defines homeland: “A person's country of origin or the ancestral region where a specific national or ethnic identity was formed. People often maintain strong emotional and cultural linkages to their homeland.”

I recently have become aware of not only my heritage and family history, but other peoples and cultures as well. A lot of United States citizens came to the U.S. in search of a better life, to escape persecution in their homeland. The United States used to be proud of its ‘Melting Pot” reputation. Some of us, lately, seem to think we’re better than everyone else. Most of us, historically, … WERE everyone else …

It’s interesting to me that some of us, as for our traditions, religion, way of life, family structure… It’s “Be like me or go away” There are many examples of this in history. The Crusades, the Trail of Tears, the Nazis, Cambodia, The Middle east, etc., etc., etc.

It’s only natural for people to seek out friends, neighbors, groups, churches, cultures like their own … but, in my opinion, we’re much better off getting to know one another, …  …  than killing each other…

As I said: Most of us, historically, came from somewhere else. Some of us came from ancestors who have been here hundreds and hundreds of years. A lot of us are relative newcomers to America. A lot of us don’t realize there are societies and cultures around the world that we don’t even know exist. In my opinion … this merging of cultures, makes America stronger, and certainly more interesting …

A friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook from Gene Roddenberry … He says it very well … In this quote … and on the entire Star Trek

series. I leave you with his words

Life Happens Y’all … Everywhere … All the Time …