Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
1. Anti-Americanism has become extremly popular over the years. Especially with the anti-semiticism. People want to work in America, but nobody want be called American.
For example, if I say to people "I am an American" they will keep asking BS, about my background, or where my parents are from, and more BS like that, until they conclude that I am this or that. You can change your race and nationality, just by dressing up a certain way,
and looking a certain way. You can't be well educated, and be yourself. It is like everybody is dumb.
2. People who come from other nations are are alienated by Americans, as being odd-balls, etc.. are homesick, and the first thing they do is start forming ghettos ( living like in "old country" ). After establishing power, they take pride in that. Then they shun everybody else.
3. People want to belong. They want somebody who has something in common. This could be people from their highschool years, college years, or even people in their family. I am sure their is at least one member on this board who has made it, or almost made with their cousin.
Most people want to get married and sleep with people in their nationality. It is also forced on to them, by their parents. Like in Jewish religion, idiots actually shun people for sleeping outside their race. In Chinese, they want to see them married first. So forth, with ideas like that.
Well, there's an...interesting thought. Maybe you should make a poll.
My question is how long will people hold on to other countries. Don't take this the wrong way but I wonder how many more centuries until people only claim America. It's like everyone is always from some where else and I know it's our governments fault.
When ever people ask I always say American. It's the truth. Even my great-great grandmother was, from Jersey to be exact. Anything further than Great Grandparent (to me) is irrelevant.
Obviously, if asked by a foreigner what my nationality is, I'm an American.
But if some asks what my heritage is, I have no problem with that at all. I have no idea what it is like to be descended from a single country (for example, all your grandparents or great-grandparents were born in Italy).
Like many Americans I am descended from several countries, and have both relatively recent immigrant ancestors (though all 4 of my grandparents were born in the US), and also have ancestors who were living here in the 1600s.
I think the older you get the more interested you get in your ancestry. On the other hand I sort of agree that anything past great-grandparent sort of becomes so distant as to not really be all that relevant. Interesting, yes. relevant, no, unless it meant inheriting money
In other parts of the country, immigration was earlier and spread out over more years. Here, the big wave of immigration was over a relatively short period of years, through Castle Rock and Ellis Island. So many of these immigrants settled in NY. It really wasn't that long ago and many of us are not that many generations removed from it as opposed to someone's ancestors who came here during the 17th century. And of course, there have been waves of immigration since Ellis Island was closed. Americans still feel close ties with their ancestral heritage with all kinds of acknowlegements, including cultural centers, museums, parades. We are a hetergeneous population. We have big festivities for Chinese New Year, but there's never going to be a West Indian Day parade in Beijing.
I guess people list the countries where their ancestors are from to make themselves seem a little bit more "interesting". I'm a first generation born Albanian. My parents came to the United States 30 years ago and as proud as they are of their ethnicity and culture, they refer to themselves as Americans. I also, take pride in my ethnicity and family's culture, but when someone asks me where I'm from I always refer to myself as either an American or a New Yorker. If they go into detail and ask me questions about why I have such a weird name or what is that weird language I sometimes speak, then I talk about myself being an Albanian.
I laugh at people who identify themselves with their great-great-great grandparents heritage. There is a difference between passing down a heritage for centuries and waking up one day and realizing that your great-great-great-grandfather was Turkish. People should identify themselves by who they are, not by who their ancestors were 400 years ago in a country that they cannot even pronounce
Where I grew up, there were a lot of festivals, etc, related to german heritage. We had a schutzenfest in the summer and also the largest polka festival in north america. Also, everyone used phrases like guten morgan for good morning and we had restaurants like the Essen haus. Also, some of our names had "Ws" that were pronounced like "Vs."
After i moved away, I learned these events and things were somewhat unique to where i grew up. And i began to identify these things, and by extension me, as being german. I understand why the OP thinks that is stupid, but it is just part of being a nation of immigrants
Those are some of the reasons i identify somewhat as german, although i typically don't bring it up in conversation unless someone seems interested.
I laugh at people who identify themselves with their great-great-great grandparents heritage.
That's a good idea. Next time someone mentions their heritage as part of a casual conversation that touches on the subject, I will laugh at them. If I do it enough times to enough people, I imagine people will get the hint and stop their ridiculous behavior.
Because, really, it's ridiculous--acknowledging where your ancestors came from.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
