When I was in high school, I met a young man I admired tremendously. He was an incredibly fine fellow, and one of the most accomplished actors I have ever seen in my life. He could pick up a book of Shakespeare and read it like you would read a simple poem, with complete understanding and much feeling. He had been educated in England, and indeed I thought he was English for he had a soft English accent. He looked and talked like Sir Lawrence Olivier. Everywhere he went, he led people to think he was English. Actually, this lad was Greek. But he was ashamed of being Greek. Can you imagine being ashamed of your own nationality? I’ve never forgotten him for that one reason and in my estimation, he dropped down out of sight. Since then I have met many, many people who are ashamed of their racial background. This state of affairs is really pitiful, I think, because every race under God’s sun is so rich in its own culture and folklore; every race has contributed great men and very proud of it. Look back at the great Scot writers...the wonderful Scot music. But were I other than Scotch, I know I would be just as proud of the blood that flows through my veins. I often wondered if that Greek boy ever thought of the almost fantastically advanced Greek civilization that existed centuries ago with it’s great philosophers whose writing have never been equalled...it’s wonderful sculptors...architects...men of science and learning. Look at the Hebrew civilization, going back many, many centuries. The Hebrew contributions to civilization are manifold; the Hebrew home life is a model of perfection. Look at the Negro race, the Ukrainian, the Pole, the Russian, the German, each has behind him centuries of accomplishment by his father, his grandfather’s father, and his great grandfathers father. To be ashamed of your nationality, is unforgivable. Be proud of the blood that flows through your veins.
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