Why aren't we just satisfied being "American"? (2015, home)
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I ask this because it seems many places I go people get all caught up in wtf someone's ethnic group is as if that is going to define them or even matter. It irks me to always be asked what my ethnicity is. Does this happen everywhere in the country? Seems to me that people looooooove talking about how they're German, or Irish, or Polish when they don't know anything significant about said cultures. It just is odd how you can't just be fine being American, you have to put a prefix behind it.
For me I think a more significant cultural designation if you were born here (or spent the majority of your life here) would be more affected by your current surroundings rather than those of your ancestors 100 years ago. But it's like if you answer and say "I'm American" people will reply "yeah but from what ethnic group?" as if the US is the only country that has ever had immigrants. That brings me to my second rant. Why can't many Americans realize that the US isn't the only stopping point in the world? I knew a guy from Jamaica who was East Indian and people didn't get how he could be both since in their mind, Jamaican is just a sub-race of Black people (because you know, no one can move there). Or how Americans can't understand that many Latinos aren't in fact one race but can be White, Black, mixed etc. They watch baseball and think "wow, these can't be Black guys because they speak Spanish".
Rant over. Just wish Americans would at least understand how ethnicity works before caring about it so much.
Race has been an issue in the U.S. since forever, pretty much. Take a look back at our history and you'll understand why race is still an issue in this country.
But that's the thing with New World countries like America, Canada... Australia. They are so ethnically diverse and new.
Compared to countries/kingdoms in Europe and Asia, which tend to me very ethnically homogeneous and old, Americans feel the need to say where they come from, because unless you're First Nations saying you're "American", or "Canadian" doesn't really say where your roots are from. It's pretty vague.
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Originally Posted by theraven24
Race has been an issue in the U.S. since forever, pretty much. Take a look back at our history and you'll understand why race is still an issue in this country.
Well it's the same thing here in Canada, and I don't think many people would say race is an "issue" in Canada.
Technically a good portion of us are Americans. We were born here. The thing is that most people don't classify themselves as Americans because we are a country built from immigrants. All of our relatives came from elsewhere. My relatives came from Italy soon after World War II. We are a very diverse country and a place where all cultures and practices combine into one. On the other hand, do you think its interesting how if we talk to a foreigner then we call ourselves Americans but when we are talking to other Americans we call ourselves French or Dutch?
Race has been an issue in the U.S. since forever, pretty much. Take a look back at our history and you'll understand why race is still an issue in this country.
When there are hundreds of religions, ethnicities, and cultures you will always get mixed reactions and views. People have different opinions of another race or group and yet people think racism will go away. It will NEVER go away. Racism will always be out there. In my personal opinion, i think people are just as racist now as they were 50 years ago. Back in the day it was more acceptable to be racist. It may seem like racism is dead but believe me it isn't. People aren't as open as they used too. They keep it to themselves. That's why the internet is the way it is. People are going to speak their minds behind a keyboard because that's when they know they cant be slammed when they're not talking face to face. This is 2015 and in 2015 people are scared to voice out their opinions because they are afraid it will offend somebody. I am not a racist at all though it may seem like i'm promoting it. Racism is repulsive, disgusting, and makes me sick but you know what? In America, everyone wants to be accepted but there's always a percentage of people who may try and pretend to like you and accept you in person, but in their minds they despise you. Think about it...
In Latin America, even though it's equally diverse, cultures weren't formed or held to a specific ethnicity. Everyone kind of merged together to form a true melting pot and create a somewhat new culture, usually specific to that country.
In America, most ethnic groups have held on to long-time traditions from their home countries and cultures. It is diluted to a certain extent, but America is more similar to Old World countries in that everyone has been more likely to stay separate and conservative. But that may very well be because the US has an entirely larger number of immigrants from the Old World than any other countries in this hemisphere.
Sure America isn't the only country with immigrants and foreign born populations, but by far America is the largest at least in total if not ratio.
Yeah, for those have been saying the US is unique in immigration, have you ever read anything about the UK or France? In England there are places where most of who you see are Pakistani or Indian people.
Some people want to come off as unique and different so they identify with the country their ancestors are from. this does not automatically mean they are not satisfied with being American
We are obviously American if we live here. Unlike many European or Asian countries, the US is very diverse and made up of people of various races and ethnicities, oftentimes mixed. Many people are second or third generation (their parents or grandparents were immigrants, especially in the Northeast where white ethnic groups are diverse) or even first generation. When we open our mouths, we know who is American and who is not based on our accents. It's not like it's unclear if we're American. But along with that, many identify with their ethnicities because we are not ETHNICALLY American - it's our nationality.
Think about it. In Italy, pretty much everyone's ethnically Italian. They'll all have very Italian first and last names and Mediterranean features, or lighter hair and skin up near the mountains. Same with England - all very Anglo in name - I can even recognize a British person by facial features. In Japan, most people are ethnically Japanese with Japanese names. In the US, you have a varied mix of names and looks. People are "mutts." We are American but we're not ETHNICALLY American, like Italians are ethnically Italian - it is both their nationality and ethnicity. Americans can be ethnically Nigerian or Haitian or Chinese or Polish or Irish or Russian or German or Colombian or a mix of anything. We are Americans by nationality but there are few ethnic (Native) Americans left today. This is why Americans tend to be hung up on ethnicity. It's a way we can identify ourselves based on our family history and culture. And if you think people don't know anything about their ethnic cultures then you don't know New Jersey Italian-Americans.
Soccer fans here in Seattle try really hard to act European. Lol.
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