<p align="left"><em>Hatred and bigotry are alive and well today. Nationalities split, long for the old way when an American was just an American, now hyphenation is the accepted way. There is no reason if you consider the following poem:<br /><br />People <br />Culturally unique <br />External obvious differences <br />Genetically the same <br />Identical <br /><br />We are becoming a society where America is no longer first in the mind of her people. Everyone wants to be African, Jewish, Irish, Italian-before an American. We divide ourselves into different cultures and want to relate to our ancestral homes. America is now home. We are a country of immigrants. Pride in our heritage should never be criticized or forgotten. However, if we are not Americans first, how can we survive as a culture, come together in a common cause, or have a debate without bias, prejudice, or hatred interfering in the process. Isn't it time we forgo the hyphenation and become what we are, rather than what we once were, or in most cases, what we have never been. Taking a census of Americans, it would be of great interest to know the number of Americans who have never traveled to their ancestral home. I believe hyphenation does nothing more than give us an excuse to be different; therefore demeaning and divided.<br /><br />The ramblings of a madman, you decide.<br /></em></p>