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What should be troubling is this man has to deny his heritage in order to be given a place at the table, merely as a token black man. If blacks have to act like Clarence Thomas and Herman Cain to gain acceptance into the Republican Party than I doubt many other African Americans will be voting for that party anytime soon.
Why can't black people like yourself be satisfied with being what you are....just an American....
But call yourself anything you want and if you feel the need,wear the 'traditional garb'(actually made in China) and pretend you have some connection to 'Mother Africa....or is that Afrika???
Next thing you know,you will be telling us about the African celebration of Kwanzaa..
Black Americans are part of the African diaspora, which gives them as much affirmation as they would need to "pretend" that they have a connection to the continent. The same way white Australians are allowed to "pretend" that they have a connection to Europe. Not exactly a hard concept to grasp onto.
You are correct in stating that it is much simpler to be an American, but as they say, facts will be facts. And fact is that black Americans are part of the African diaspora. You would be foolish to try and suggest otherwise. (African Diaspora) That gives those black Americans who wish to associate their identity with the diaspora as much affirmation as one would need.
ps: I have heard the terms Chinese-American, Irish-American, Vietnamese-American, Italian-American, Cuban-American and such a countless number of times, yet there is no outrage there. The fact that this criticism is being directed at a tree within a forest of hyphenated-Americans really does speak volumes.
I am not denying that black Americans are of African descent. But the same (in relation to origins) applies to whites, Asians, Hispanic, and all other Americans. My point is that "an American" is a lot simpler. As I said before, I was born overseas, and immigrated to the US at an early age. Later, through naturalization, I became an American and dropped my former nationality. I clearly understand that a lot of Americans, because of their roots, identify with other nations, and don't hold that against anybody. But in my own case, I am an American first.
Don't forget the original OP is a critique against a black American who prefers to be called "an American."
Quit trying to paint him as some sort of Uncle Tom. And what does Giuliani have to do with anything? I'm Italian too, but I don't run around calling myself an Italian-American. It's stupid. I am an American first and foremost, and yes I'm proud of my heritage just as Herman Cain is proud of his. Why try to box yourself into little categories? Do YOU refer to YOURSELF in a hyphenated way? Do most Americans? I doubt it.
Herman Cain is not proud of his heritage, he is proud of his bank account.
Black Americans are part of the African diaspora, which gives them as much affirmation as they would need to "pretend" that they have a connection to the continent. The same way white Australians are allowed to "pretend" that they have a connection to Europe. Not exactly a hard concept to grasp onto.
Yeah...not really....black Americans have as much connection to Africa as I do to the Scandinavian countries...
Why can't black people like yourself be satisfied with being what you are....just an American....
But call yourself anything you want and if you feel the need,wear the 'traditional garb'(actually made in China) and pretend you have some connection to 'Mother Africa....or is that Afrika???
Next thing you know,you will be telling us about the African celebration of Kwanzaa..
I'm looking in a 360 degree direction around me in my chair and wondering how i'm not satisfied with being who i am. Doesn't suck to be me...i'll tell you that much. Life is good. No complaints here.
I don't need to wear "traditional garb." Every African i see generally wears the same types of clothes i do (although i'm usually a bit niftier than those around me due to my impeccable taste in clothing). I don't need to "pretend" to have a connection to Africa....the blood in my veins is my indisputable connection. That's all i need...nothing more.
Don't know anything about Kwanzaa, but i'm sure you can tell me all about it since you have obvious heartburn over it (like with everything else that black people do or believe). If you weren't so annoyed by it, you wouldn't have brought it up. Not that i can possibly understand why since what we do isn't your business anyway.
What should be troubling is this man has to deny his heritage in order to be given a place at the table, merely as a token black man. If blacks have to act like Clarence Thomas and Herman Cain to gain acceptance into the Republican Party than I doubt many other African Americans will be voting for that party anytime soon.
Why in the *#&^ would they?
These people aren't denying their heritage any more than other Americans born on US soil. While both may be of African descent, other Americans are of Italian descent, Irish, and so forth. I bet that your family roots lead to some places outside of the US, unless you are an American Native (pure Cherokee, Navaho, etc.).
Maybe whites are upset that someone identifies themselves as a hyphenated American because it reminds them that this hyphen stands for slavery and naked imperialism?
Thats what happens when you have an intensely ethnocentric population of white Americans, they wish for all others to live and speak like they do and when they do not, they get out of sorts. Thats why the Republican Party appeals to these prejudices, and why their attempts at using Michael Steele and Herman Cain to give the illusion they are inclusive is downright laughable.
Who will they get next? How about that little Mexican guy on Jimmy Kimmel?
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) and pretend you have some connection to 'Mother Africa....or is that Afrika???
