Racism

 I've been thinking a lot about racism lately.   There are two things that happened to me recently to cause this:

a) I was talking to my uncle, and he used a line I've heard so many times: "I'm just sick of pressing 1 for English."

b) I was talking to my mom and learned something new about my family.  See, my dad had a sister that we never talked about.  I learned a bit about her over time (her name, that she has 3 boys) but no one really talked about her, ever.  All I knew what that she had been effectively kicked out of the famly and no one ever talked to her.  Naturally, I assumed the worst.  I thought she had murdered someone or something like that.  Yesterday I learned what horrible thing she did.  She married a black man.  My grandmother had been incredibly racist.  She was the head of the family and what she said was gospel.  So when she decided that her daughter was no longer welcome due to the race of her husband, that was it.  My grandmother died when I was about a year old, but no one welcomed my aunt back to the family.  Apparently, she was fairly poor and she, her husband, or her kids (or some combination of the above) have done some fairly undesirable things.  I don't really know the details.  My grandfather started talking to her again, but I guess there was just too much bitterness there for her to feel welcome in our family.  It breaks my heart that I've only met her once (at my dad's funeral) and I've never met my cousins.

I don't understand how people can justify their racism.  I know often they don't see what they're doing as racism, like with the English thing.  I don't understand why people get so angry about the fact that a large number of Americans speak Spanish as a first language.  I know a lot of times people equate Spanish-speakers as illegal.  However, that doesn't negate the fact that there are 34.6 million people in the US who speak Spanish at home.  The "press 2 for Spanish" thing (and offering legal forms in Spanish) is catering to our own citizens.  Plus, in areas with a  high concentration of Spanish-speakers, it makes sense from a business perspective to offer phone menus in Spanish.  Catering to one's client base is being a smart business, not anti-American.  What's interesting to me is why this is a problem.  I don't have any reaction at all when I'm on the phone and hear "press 1 for English".  It's obvious that some people do, though.  What is causing them to be offended?  Is it simply the reminder that people exist who are different than them?  Where did the idea that here in America we speak English and only English come from, anyway?  I've heard this argument: "If I moved to France, I would have to learn French.  This is America.  They have to learn English."  The problem with that argument is that some countries (such as France) have their national identity closely tied to their national language.  The French language is a huge part of the culture.  But America is not one of those countries.  It was built on the idea of being a land of opportunity for those who can't make it in their home countries.  I know that, historically, there has been backlash and racism against every major group of people that moved here.  I understand that at this point in history, America (or at least parts of America) is racist against Spanish-speakers (and those from the middle-east, thanks to 9/11).  But what's the point?  No good can come from racism.  We as a nation have learned this lesson time and time again.  I don't understand how people can be so patriotic and yet be so racist.  In one breath they talk about how in America all men are created equal, and then they turn around and discriminate against the groups of people they don't like.   I just don't understand.