A few months ago I was in another interactive forum and a black poster said that he was proud of being black. He said that he was proud that his forefathers survived allowing his very existence. He received some cyber backslaps and a few high-fives for his statement. A short time later a white poster said he was proud of being white. He said his pride stemmed from all the accomplishments that came from many European-Americans. The same guy who was proud of being black said, "So, is you are so proud of being white, are you also proud of Himmler, Hitler and Stalin?" It was that post that received the high-fives, not the white poster's comment. Well, the white poster replied that he should not have been rebuked. "Afterall," he stated, "I said nothing against any other culture, I just stated that I have pride in my own heritage, just as you did." That comment only led to additional chastising.

Well, I saw what seemed to me to be an obvious flaw in our collective social thinking. Hence, this thread was born.

This is an anecdote so I don't know that it applies to anything other than your experience. Secondly, this supposed "black poster's" reply didn't make any sense since Himmler, Stalin, and Hitler were not European-Americans. They never left Europe.

Taken in the proper context, I think most people of all colors would be proud of the positive accomplishments of European Americans, from the Founding Fathers to Lincoln, the technological achievements and so forth. You have to understand that it's more loaded to talk about being proud in some contexts - because some of that "heritage" includes 400 years of slavery and oppression to Native Indians, Blacks, and Chinese in the country.

So, is there a bit of a double-standard? Sure, but now you know why.