Today I was in Philadelphia. I took a walking tour of the Independence Hall area with a tour guide. The guide reminded us of a quote by Patrick Henry from 1775. Patrick Henry represented Virginia in the First Continental Congress. He wanted his fellow Virginians to defend themselves against the British troops. He stated:

the distinctions between Virginia, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more. I AM NOT A VIRGINIAN, BUT AN AMERICAN!

I think sometimes we forget that we are AMERICANS. We have started to call ourselves Irish Americans or African Americans or Italian Americans. Why do we separate ourselves in this manner. Sure, we can all be proud of our heritage, but first, WE ARE AMERICANS!