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But what is the issue if they want to make the distinction? Why is it of anyone else's concern how they chose to refer to themselves?
I'm not saying there's an issue to them calling themselve Asian American, I'm just saying IMO they don't have to. If they choose to, then that's fine too.
Is there a reason we should need hyphenated identities? Why isn't being "American citizens" enough?
I totally agree! We should have moved past that need to seperate and label by color by now. We should all just be Americans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuckyGem
For a "black" American to call themself "African-American" is imprecise and sounds odd. How can you claim a continent for your ancestry?
Same would be odd for someone with European ancestry to call themself, "European-American". Ordinarily they know where their ancestors originated in Europe so it sounds a little ridiculous for someone with French or German ancestry so say they're "European-American". They say "German-American". With African American how can you claim the entire continent. I have heard Asians claim they're "Asian-American" but ordinarily they say "Korean-American" or whatever ancestry they have.
Australians never say they're English-Australian, or Greek-Australian. "They say I'm an Aussie!!!!" - Americans should do the same and say, "I'm an American!!!".
Some Americans feel so bruised by their ancestry having been neglected or negated (or so proud - for something they had nothing to do with) that they feel the need to assert where their ancestors originated by hyphenating their ethnicity.
By all means call yourself anything you want. But if you want to be more precise, have a DNA ancestry test so you know roughly where your ancestors originated.
Sounds silly... "I'm a Northern-Hemispherian American, I'm a Southern-Hemispherian American"... blahhh booo go away!
Well said, I agree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by calipoppy
Until very recently, the ability for African Americans to identify the specific countries and/or tribes of origins were systematically denied to us. When African slaves arrived to the New World, they were baptised and given "Christian" names, they were purposely separated from others who shared their common languages and openly punished (beaten and whipped) for any attempt to hang on to their culture. (recall the scene in Roots where Kunta Kente was whipped for refusing to accept his "new" name of Toby given by his owner)
Much has been taken away from us but we know who we are and that obviously scares a lot of people. We will never forget our history, ever.
But that history took place in America. That's the thing. That's not African history. That's American history. Yes do remember and never forget all about slavery and how things were back then and the civil rights movement etc, but all of that was American history, not African history. Most Black Americans don't know anything about the holidays and celebrations of African people or the many different religions of African people. Other than what you can read in a book. Most Black Americans are Christians. There is no emotional connection to Africa the way there is a connection to the American history of blacks in America.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desertdetroiter
Again, it's about control. The problem they have with African American is that WE came up with it. If they did, it would be no issue.
And you're right, when we just wanted to be "Americans," they were having NONE of it. But now that we have some say so over what we're called, they demand that we just be Americans and drop the hyphens.
Naaaah....too late.
But not all Blacks feel the way you do and you should not speak for all blacks. The problem is a few blacks making decisions and trying to speak for all blacks. Most blacks prefer to use the term Black or just American or Black American. You may feel that way, that's fine, but most blacks just prefer Black or American.
Last edited by ~PaperMoon~; 08-08-2011 at 06:00 PM..
I totally agree! We should have moved past that need to seperate and label by color by now. We should all just be Americans.
Well said, I agree.
But that history took place in America. That's the thing. That's not African history. That's American history. Yes do remember and never forget all about slavery and how things were back then and the civil rights movement etc, but all of that was American history, not African history. Most Black Americans don't know anything about the holidays and celebrations of African people or the many different religions of African people. Other than what you can read in a book. Most Black Americans are Christians. There is no emotional connection to Africa the way there is a connection to the American history of blacks in America.
But not all Blacks feel the way you do and you should not speak for all blacks. The problem is a few blacks making decisions and trying to speak for all blacks. Most blacks prefer to use the term Black or just American or Black American. You may feel that way, that's fine, but most blacks just prefer Black or American.
You don't know what most blacks prefer. Hell, i'm not sure if i even know, so you DEFINITELY don't know.
As for blacks speaking for other blacks and other intra-black affairs, i don't see how that's your business if you're not black. In fact, it's definitely NOT your business. If you're not black, we'll ask you your opinion if we really want to know (we don't). I don't claim to speak for other blacks, but even if i did, that's between myself and the blacks i claim to speak for...not outsiders.
But that history took place in America. That's the thing. That's not African history. That's American history. Yes do remember and never forget all about slavery and how things were back then and the civil rights movement etc, but all of that was American history, not African history. Most Black Americans don't know anything about the holidays and celebrations of African people or the many different religions of African people. Other than what you can read in a book. Most Black Americans are Christians. There is no emotional connection to Africa the way there is a connection to the American history of blacks in America.
Based on this statement, you obviously will never "get it" if you believe that the history of the Americas, Africa and Europe are not permanently intertwined . Our African ancestors were not given the right to maintain our respective cultures and traditions from the multitude of African nations and tribes from which they were stolen. They were forcibly separated from family (husband from wife, mother from child) and shipped off to separate plantations from Maine to Brazil, baptised as Christians and given Christian names, these events were not "optional". That is all completely different from White Americans who voluntarily discontinued the observations of their traditions from their respective European ancestors (although many White Americans do still maintain their European heritage)
Despite the fact that our ancestral heritage was denied to us, many of us (several generations later) have embraced the fragments of what remains. And again, obviously you are not prive to the "emotional connection" that we have to the African continent. You simply have no idea so please refrain from speaking from a place of ignorance.
I often find it quite interesting that White Americans have no problem with Asian Americans or Hispanic Americans embracing their respective cultures yet the mere thought of African Americans embracing their history sends them into tantrums and tirades with accusations of being Blacks being "unAmerican" So the obvious question is, "What do White people believe that they have to lose if more African Americans know their history"?
Some say that blacks should not be referred to as African Americans because they have no relations with the African Continent while others say the term "black" takes the legacy away from slave ancestors who did not choose to leave Africa.
I prefer "African American" because it ties my root to a piece of land (Africa) and now that I have had my DNA analyzed, I can trace my roots to Angola and the Umbundu people.
I don't think he meant it as a contest but just to show how silly it is to refer to some as a hyphenated American when lots of blacks have been here longer than some whites who don't usually use any hyphenates. White Americans who have been here for generations are not called Europeon Americans even though that's where white Americans originated, so why should any other ethnicities who have been here for generations use a hyphenation?
I never saw anything wrong with using colored either, it meant a person of color, nothing wrong with that.
Americans of Asian descent who have been here for generations don't really need to refer to themselves as Asian Americans IMO. They are just Americans too.
That's my exact point! The term becomes silly when you have people who are black and white who were born in Africa and move to the US, those are the real African Americans, not the blacks who's ancestors have been here since the 1600s.
Must be a West Coast phenom then. None of the "Asian Americans" I know refer to themselves in this manner. Carry on.
No, I'm on the West Coast. They don't refer to themselves that way here either. They say American and if you press they will qualify with Korea, Japan, China, etc.
Gosh with that choice how would you describe Obama?
How would he be differentiated from folks descended from slaves.
I would say an individual can trace their genes back to a slave to differentiate their heritige. No label is needed.
A room full of descendants from slaves would be referred to as 'this group of people have had descendants that were slaves'. The group would include whites as well as blacks.
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. Our African ancestors were not given the right to maintain our respective cultures and traditions from the multitude of African nations and tribes from which they were stolen. They were forcibly separated from family (husband from wife, mother from child) and shipped off to separate plantations from Maine to Brazil, baptised as Christians and given Christian names, these events were not "optional". That is all completely different from White Americans who voluntarily discontinued the observations of their traditions from their respective European ancestors (although many White Americans do still maintain their European heritage) 
So the obvious question is, "What do White people believe that they have to lose if more African Americans know their history"? 
