Thursday, October 17, 2013

Bunker Lauren Identity reflection

My mother's side is mostly French-Canadian with about a quarter that is a smorgasbord of German, French, Irish and a bunch of others. My father's side is half Italian and half French-Canadian. All of my living family members have been born in the United States, my late great grandparents were the ones who immigrated. I really don't feel any ethnic or national ties, I know that I am an American and grateful for the things the country provides but I am by no means patriotic.
As far back as I know my family, both sides, is founded in catholicism. My mother's great-grandparents spoke mostly French and were good little catholics who had upwards of 13 children. Beyond that generation christmas was always celebrated but no one went to church or prayed. Then my mom came along and changed the whole game refusing to belong to any religion or god. My father and his seven siblings all went to catholic school. They mostly identify as catholics and insist that there is a god. Hardly anyone goes to church on a regular basis. My father and I are christmas fanatics but he does not care about religion. I was not baptized and do not identify with a religion or a god. A few of my family members take offense to my disagreement in the existence of a good or the necessity identifying with a religion. They jokingly call me the antichrist at time- perhaps my project could be something like the anti-christ-mas because I love the decorations and spirit but not the religious aspects.
Do you identify with any of these for yourself? Describe.
I do not know anyone in my family to have been discriminated against for any reason.
I think the culture that I identify with is the Michigan/Detroit culture. I was the last in my family to be born within the city limits and Michigan is a huge part of my being. I am a different person when I leave the state.
I don't have many friends. They often come and go and are more acquaintances with friends. I have known people of many races and ethnicities, I was lucky to go to a school system that was very diverse. We had students who had just moved from the Congo, my classmate Mustafa was from Nigeria though spoke French at home and practiced Islam. The area that I come from is surprisingly tolerant of all different types of people.


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