Shijo-Tsushin #11 June, 1997
Who Am I
by Tom O'BRIEN
Let me tell you a story: I am American born (Yonkers NY) in the year of 32. I am sansei Irish on my father side. On my mother's side there is a mixture of German, French (Grandmother), and possibly English. So most of my pure blood came from my father's side. My culture was mostly Irish Catholic growing up. And of course the culture of New York which is different than any other place in America. The point I wish to make is I as American born citizen was not even accepted in my own city because my grandfather was an Irish Catholic. Irish Protesants were accepted as human beings. So along my way in life I dared to offend the Japanese purist and of course the Caucasian Americans by taking a Japanese wife. I have 3 sons; 2 are married and between them they have 4 sons and a daughter. 1 is married to a lady born in America of Czechoslovakian extraction. The other married son is married to a German national. "Who am I," we must ask ourselves, and tell ourselves we are what we are. And we want just to be. I have faced life with the attitude Accept-me-for-"Who I Am" and not with whatever prejudices abound in the world. If you are happy with who you are, the HELL with those who live in their world of ignorance and prejudice.
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