My Late Grandfather's Message Towards Racism and Interracial/Interfaith Relationships

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The stereotype of "Old White Men" being racist is sadly very true but it's not just "Old White Men" who are racist. Racism comes from all walks of life from every continent on Earth. We are in a world full of hate when there's no reason to continue it. It is my belief that our life's purpose is to see past the exterior of others and find the heart in that person, their soul, and bond with each and every one of them in some way. Sadly we've come into a world warped with corrupting and wickedness which tries to refuse the recognition of basic humanity to minorities. This isn't a problem only from "Whites" to "Blacks", nor is it something that only the USA or European nations are guilty of. Sadly this is a rampant idea that is happening on every continent and in every country. Weather you are white, black, brown, yellow, red, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Jewish, Pagan, Conservative, Liberal, Libertarian, Moderate, A Political, Tall, Short, Skinny, Fat, Athletic, Muscular, Straight, Homosexual, Bi Sexual, Trans, or any and everything in between you've faced some level of prejudice. You need to remember those times when you were trashed for being who you are and what you are and use that to empathize with others and find commonality instead of division.

A situation occurred when I was about 15 years old where a bunch of old men sat around a table together with me and we were watching football. Out of everyone my grandfather was the only person who had been raised on a Fascist Dictatorship without any family other than a sister he barely saw. He was raised be the Fascist state of Italy under Benito Mussolini, born in 1924 just 2 years after Il Duce first came to power. My grandfather was raised in a Catholic Orphanage by nuns. Sadly the Catholic Church was all too eager and willing to allow Fascist doctrine into their learning facilities. As we do here in the USA they had to stand for a pledge of allegiance. Only this one was to the Fascist state of Italy and the opening was, "Mussolini is always right". My grandfather was raised by the regime to be a hardened killing machine without emotion or remorse. But they failed to realize that no amount of conditioning can remove human emotion from the equation.

In 1942 my my grandfather was forced into the Fascist Regime's military service. You either joined or you and your family would be executed, that's how it was. You complied or they marched you out front of your house and shot you and your wives and children in the heads. You did what you were told, that's just how it was. People get so hung up on who fought for which side without ever knowing what it was really like for people on the other side. The Fascists used all kinds of methods to kill including public hangings and boiling people alive. My grandfather saw the hell of the Eastern Front. His battalion from Torino was responsible for wiping out a Russian force of 11,000 strong in just 2 days. My grandfather went on to tell me he hated doing what he did, he took no pleasure in it but it was a fight for his life and that of his friends he made.

Back to that day at the table with all the men. A commercial came on of Tyra Banks as well as another one of a black woman in a lotion commercial. These men said abhorrent things that I'll never repeat because they should never be said about a black woman, any woman, or any human being for that matter. My grandfather said to me then and there not to listen to these men. They were completely wrong and he said that no matter who I ended up with I should be happy. I remember his words in his strong Northern Piemontese accent:

"My little buddy, don't listen to them they have no idea what they are talking about. Don't ever choose a woman for her appearance alone. Skin color doesn't matter. There are plenty of beautiful women of every race, just follow your heart. Don't listen to what others say about your woman or your relationship with her. Make sure she loves you and treats you good and you her, nothing else matters in this world. Love is the most important thing in this world. When you have it, grab it with both hands and don't you ever let it go. Just find a woman who makes you happy and is loyal to you and nothing else matters."

So my question to us here in America is this: How is it a man who had to fight under a fascist dictatorship, alongside nazis, being apart of a battle where tens of thousands of men lost their lives was able to know this and believe this and yet we live in a country where all races and colors live side by side and are born in the same delivery rooms, and sleep peacefully in the same nurseries together and STILL have so many racial divisions? How can we be so hateful in this country to one another while someone like my grandfather from day one never bought into this crock of racist s***? We're doing it wrong America, we're failing ourselves, our kids, and we need to change this. If you harbor a racist heart (and only you know if you do deep down then you need to change that. It's my firm believe that you are failing at life. Get with it, get exposed to other people and cultures, actually TALK to people and break bread with them. It's not hard just treat your fellow human being well and recognize you are both hurting from these situations and mindsets. That's it, have a good day everyone!

My Late Grandfathers Message Towards Racism and Interracial/Interfaith Relationships

Veteran of Operation Barbarossa, Fascist Defector, Royalist Soldier, Apprehender of Benito Mussolini, Hero Of To Allied Powers, A Loyal Husband and Father, and amazing friend and Grandfather!

My Late Grandfathers Message Towards Racism and Interracial/Interfaith Relationships
My Late Grandfather's Message Towards Racism and Interracial/Interfaith Relationships
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