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IF she has an assocaite that prefers to be called native american, do you abide by it or no?
Sure..if a personal acquaintance ASKED to be called ANYTHING, a caring person would comply. It's not often, though, that friends or associates have to 're-establish' their race...but yes, of course, if someone ASKED, my wife would comply...and so would I. If I see you as 'Black'..and you tell me you're 'Dominican'....then as far as I'm concerned, from then on, you're Dominican. That's your call, and I'm happy to comply.
There is no such thing as "just American." I don't know what your background is, but for you to say African Americans don't have any connection with Africa, no knowledge of Africa, no culture from Africa or no desire to be associated with Africa is simply ludicrous.
Yes there are just Americans. I could call myself European-American, but what's the point? My ancestors came here a couple of generations ago. I don't feel any ties to their countries of orgins. It's in the past, and I am full blooded AMERICAN. That is all. All this foolish hyphenated crap is part of the reason racism persists - it seperates and emphasizes differences.
Sure..if a personal acquaintance ASKED to be called ANYTHING, a caring person would comply. It's not often, though, that friends or associates have to 're-establish' their race...but yes, of course, if someone ASKED, my wife would comply...and so would I. If I see you as 'Black'..and you tell me you're 'Dominican'....then as far as I'm concerned, from then on, you're Dominican. That's your call, and I'm happy to comply.
Thing is, there is no mutual exclusivity between being Black and being Dominican, since the vast majority of Dominicans are of African ancestry. A Dominican of obvious African ancestry who tells you he's not Black, but Dominican, is sadly delusional.
Yes there are just Americans. I could call myself European-American, but what's the point? My ancestors came here a couple of generations ago. I don't feel any ties to their countries of orgins. It's in the past, and I am full blooded AMERICAN. That is all. All this foolish hyphenated crap is part of the reason racism persists - it seperates and emphasizes differences.
There is no correlative relationship between hyphenation and racism. If someone wishes to call me a derogatory name or hate me because of my appearance, what I call myself is not going to make one iota of difference.
Yes there are just Americans. I could call myself European-American, but what's the point? My ancestors came here a couple of generations ago. I don't feel any ties to their countries of orgins. It's in the past, and I am full blooded AMERICAN. That is all. All this foolish hyphenated crap is part of the reason racism persists - it seperates and emphasizes differences.
...You are a European, whether you realize it or not. You need to look up the definition of the word American and see who it truly applies to.
What your fathers were, you are today without question. Your forefathers were Europeans who stole this land from the Indigenous people who's land it is by birth rite.
Your personal beliefs do not alter historical facts.
Thing is, there is no mutual exclusivity between being Black and being Dominican, since the vast majority of Dominicans are of African ancestry. A Dominican of obvious African ancestry who tells you he's not Black, but Dominican, is sadly delusional.
True...just a hypothetical situaton, in which I pointed out that it's not up to ME to tell anyone else who he/ she "is".....and I'll never argue with a person as to what he calls himself, how he pronounces his name...or even how he GOT his name. That's his business, as far as I'm concerned.
...You are a European, whether you realize it or not. You need to look up the definition of the word American and see who it truly applies to.
What your fathers were, you are today without question. Your forefathers were Europeans who stole this land from the Indigenous people who's land it is by birth rite.
Your personal beliefs do not alter historical facts.
Sunil's Dad...this illustrates my point. Here we have a stranger on a forum telling another stranger who "his" forefathers were...what "his" forefathers did....and who they did it to.
That's not my style. I'll argue, if neccessary, with an individual about what he PERSONALLY does, does not do, what he thinks, or how he acts. I will NOT get into the actions, good or bad, of a strangers' supposed "forefathers". How in the world would I...or anyone else...know what YOUR forefathers did? Or even who they WERE? I'm not exactly sure of who even MY forefathers were, in the distant past...let alone someone else's. Nor can I take credit...(or accept guilt) for what they did...
What anyone today wants to "call himself" is fine with me....and I'm not going to tell you "you're wrong about yourself...whether you realize it or not"..
Sunil's Dad...this illustrates my point. Here we have a stranger on a forum telling another stranger who "his" forefathers were...what "his" forefathers did....and who they did it to.
That's not my style. I'll argue, if neccessary, with an individual about what he PERSONALLY does, does not do, what he thinks, or how he acts. I will NOT get into the actions, good or bad, of a strangers' supposed "forefathers". How in the world would I...or anyone else...know what YOUR forefathers did? Or even who they WERE? I'm not exactly sure of who even MY forefathers were, in the distant past...let alone someone else's. Nor can I take credit...(or accept guilt) for what they did...
What anyone today wants to "call himself" is fine with me....and I'm not going to tell you "you're wrong about yourself...whether you realize it or not"..
*sighs*...
Your forefathers means your ancestors. If your Italian/German/Russian/English/French/Portuguese/Spanish/Dutch/Irish etc "American", your forefathers (ancestors) come from EUROPE. What are Europeans called? Caucasian/Caucasoid right?. Where do Caucasians come from? The Caucasus Mountains right? Where are the Caucasus Mountains? Europe right? Alright then, doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out.
...You are a European, whether you realize it or not. You need to look up the definition of the word American and see who it truly applies to.
What your fathers were, you are today without question. Your forefathers were Europeans who stole this land from the Indigenous people who's land it is by birth rite.
Your personal beliefs do not alter historical facts.
Sure enough, I am American. No, I am not European American, I did not come from Europe. My ancestors were European American, I am not. I was not born there. I was born here, thus I am American. I feel no bizarre need to hang on to what is in the past, what identified my forefathers does not identify me. Their culture matters not to me.
I'll say it again, those who are hanging on to the past are only serving to perpetuate the very racism they claim to be so against.
Also, my ancestors didn't steal this land from anyone, for they came here shortly after 1900.
Your forefathers means your ancestors. If your Italian/German/Russian/English/French/Portuguese/Spanish/Dutch/Irish etc "American", your forefathers (ancestors) come from EUROPE. What are Europeans called? Caucasian/Caucasoid right?. Where do Caucasians come from? The Caucasus Mountains right? Where are the Caucasus Mountains? Europe right? Alright then, doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out.
So my ancestors..all of them...came from the Caucasus Mountains? Every one of them? Are you sure? That's news to me. I never even MET my ancestors.
At any rate, according to you, my forefathers "stole" this continent from its original inhabitants...right? (Those original inhabitants being my WIFE's forefathers, the Indians)..Got it.
So my forefathers captured humans and enslaved them...'stole' a continent...and also invented penicillin, the electric light bulb, and the gas-powered leaf blower. And this is all on ME, I guess, because my forefathers did all this...and they MUST have been my forefathers, because they were all from the Caucasus area...got it.
OTHER people's forefathers invented gunpowder and female genital mutilation. Some forefathers invented paper and domesticated the chicken...while OTHER forefathers hurled unwilling young virgins into the mouths of volcanoes, and a few even ate their "neighbors" for dinner. Others invented astronomy, or worshipped goats, or believed that human reproduction was a function of a phase of the moon, and that syphilis was caused by an evil spirit. Some sold their ten-year old daughters to older men. And the guilt for all THAT stuff lies on people living TODAY, too...because, after all, that's what their forefathers did...right?
So because I'm a Caucasian, my forefathers came from the Caucasus area at the junction of Europe, Asia, and the middle east....right?
You're right...it ISN'T rocket science. Got it...
PS Other than perhaps Iceland, I'd be curious to know a population living ANYWHERE today, upon land that wasn't "stolen" earlier by some group from another group...usually, many times. Where are the people living today who never "came" to where they are, from somewhere else?..I know..the FALKLAND ISLANDS !!...right? They were uninhabited when they were first settled.
Got it..
Last edited by macmeal; 07-31-2009 at 04:20 PM..
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...You are a European, whether you realize it or not. You need to look up the definition of the word American and see who it truly applies to.
