Is America a land of equality or is it a land where some people are more privileged than others?
Of course we started out with residents who had almost no rights at all. Slavery was already becoming regional but it was legal. We also didn't think Native Americans were entitled to many rights, if any.
Our history is fairly long and certainly not always pretty. However it is what made us who we are today.
Slavery was a big part of it and it led to one of our defining moments, the Civil War, which was hardly civil. It wasn't about much except slavery since the party of Lincoln was an anti slavery party and that led to succession.
We also know that when the war was over and slavery abolished, many slaves were free in name only. Of course some rose above those problems but some of those, like the prosperous ones in Tulsa, learned that success was ephemeral.
The history of Black Americans is different and their culture reflects that. Generally speaking all Americans share a basic culture and history but groups share additional experiences. The Irish American culture reflects the legacy of the long fight for freedom from the English and the horrors of the potato famine. This is true for almost all immigrant groups.
Blacks have a history forged in this country. Yes they originated in Africa but few have much of a connection. They are Americans and their culture is unique to them but shared with all Americans.
It has nothing to do with a theory which has been misinterpreted beyond recognition, it has to do with facts and history.
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