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Teddy Roosevelt said flat out that "there is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism".
I fully agree with him, and it is one of the reasons our society is more polarized than ever I can recall in my lifetime.
The liberal media continues to push and promote the term for minorities, yet white people who may have ancestors from other parts of the world are just called white. Even though my ancestors come from Ireland, I don't go around demanding I be called an "Irish-American", nor would any liberal be willing to call me such. Yet they will trip all over themselves to call a minority by their ethnic identity.
Furthermore, even a white person born in Africa, whether it be Zimbabwe or South Africa is not afforded the same fawning over their designation. Heck there is that infamous case where a white South African checked off "African American" on a questionnaire and was given preferential treatment only to later be denied it, once it was determined he "was not really African-American".
He rightly pointed out that even though he had become an American citizen, he had more right to claim being an "African-American" than any native born person in this country.
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So Ruben Studdard and Levar Burton are German Americans?
Personally, I use the term "Black" frequently for the sake of being understood. In actuality I don't like the terms, "black" or "white". Being an artist I see them as polarizing---opposite ends of the color scale. "Brown, "red", and "yellow" not quite as bad but still an oversimplification when talking about the complexities of humanity. we are all defined by many different factors that make up who we are: genetics, geography, language, and appearance. the fact that we have to lump people into Crayola categories is just proof that most people aren't ready to tolerate, let alone accept the unique package that makes up each person. Couple that with digital communication and we have a society that frequently forgets that human skin feels the same no matter what color it is, or that all of us bleed red.
Sorry, this subject brings out the cynic in me. I might just have to carry out my humanist beliefs in a bunker, far away from most of my countrymen.
An African American is roughly 25% white (especially women) on average. Today I've seen real African African women, oh my, they have that something African Americans lost long time ago, and I don't know what it's the name for that, natural magnetism, or something along that line.
They were born in Germany so I guess they can be German Americans , if they want to?
I was not aware of that, but I see your point.
Actually I know at least two black people who are offended if they are called African-American because they are from the islands of the Caribbean.
So all the PC types who are so worried about offending people should stop, lest they offend a minority. That is the greatest sin for those who worship at the alter of Political Correctness.
As Teddy Roosevelt said, if they want to be a part of American society, they will not be hyphenated Americans, just Americans.
An African American is roughly 25% white (especially women) on average. Today I've seen real African African women, oh my, they have that something African Americans lost long time ago, and I don't know what it's the name for that, natural magnetism, or something along that line.
Actually I know at least two black people who are offended if they are called African-American because they are from the islands of the Caribbean.
So all the PC types who are so worried about offending people should stop, lest they offend a minority. That is the greatest sin for those who worship at the alter of Political Correctness.
As Teddy Roosevelt said, if they want to be a part of American society, they will not be hyphenated Americans, just Americans.
Curious that Teddy Roosevelt made this comment because it was both the government of the U.S. and its society that deemed it necessary to separate and/or differentiate between races. Civil rights for minorities did not make quantum leaps under TR's government.
As a black man, I've never felt I was different than the average American. I grew up watching MTV, looking at He-Man, Star Wars, playing with actions figures, and Nintendo growing up like any American would. And though I may have been raised in a crappier neighborhood than some white kid, I pretty much grew up being influenced by the same things. And I can look back to my mother and grandmother for this as well. When my family tree was done, it was revealed I've had family in this country dating back to 1730. Nearly 300 years of being represented in this country. I would say I have been in America longer than majority of the white West Coast population has. But for some reason I have to be called African America? I must admit, I know a lot about Africa. But I didn't learn about Africa via persona experience from my parents or elders in my family. I learned about Africa by reading BBC articles or a book, just like any white American would learn about Africa. There is nothing about me that is African, and having dark skin doesn't make me African automatically. I have more in common with Bubba from the trailer park than Ubotu from some tribe in Nigeria. You can't deny I have dark skin, so at the very least call me a black American. Black is far more accurate than "African" when it comes to describing me and my family.
Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. Since I moved to Seattle, which is PC overkill, I hear that term African American more than I care to hear it. It's not offensive, but it sure as hell is misleading. Like I'm less American than some white person, when in fact I'm more American than most white people. Again, my family has been in this country far longer than theirs.
I don't like the term "African-American" either, as it dilutes the history of black Americans in this country. Even newly-arrived Africans can't relate to the American experience that black Americans have endured here for many generations.
Being "Black" is purely American. Black people are Americans.
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Excellent post
