Coll,

I think I have to agree with you on changing the names of things that are today thought of as inappropriate. BUt it won't be easy. For instance, look at the stink that goes up every time someone proposes we change the name of Mt. Rainier back to what the First Americans called it..."Tahoma". Boy, howdy, do people get upset. Or, for instance, reverting to "Denali" from Mt. McKinley. I personally think both Denali and Tahoma are more majestic and AMERICAN names, but I know that the name change will never happen.

If we think of ourselves as AMERICANS rather than Irish or African-AMerican or what have you, we will stop having these problems. My own "heritage" is Polish, German, French Canadian and Cree, but I don't think of myself as anything but "American". That probably came about through spending over 20 years in the most chauvinistic organization in the country, the U.S. Army.
I hope so.

Michelle
MBlanchrd at aol.com
Oly,WA