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I think the trouble with that is that Blacks haven't been considered Americans and are probably the most American of groups considering the majority have had descendants here for a very long time, considering that the slave trade ended pretty much in the beginning of the 19th century and that 70% or so of Whites in the US descend from people that came after the Civil War.
Then, you have the fact that even those that label themselves as American can trace thier ancestry, if they really want to.
Most of the whites in the South have been here as long as the blacks. And I have no problem with blacks refering to themselves as "American". It is actually they themselves who want to be separately known as "African American". Why don't we all just call ourselves "American" and end the divisiveness?
The only reason I wrote the other post was because I didn't like seeing all the other people refering to Southerners as "ignorant" for refering to themselves as "American". If you are an Italian American in NYC and your ancestors came here in 1900 I think it is a little easier for you to know where you came from.
And actually, the Southern whites on the map are being the least divisive of anybody. Most Southern whites I have talked to could care less about where they came from because they think we should all just consider ourselves American. I respect them for that. I myself am a Southerner as well.
70% or so of Whites in the US descend from people that came after the Civil War..
Do WHAT?? My city was founded wayyyy before the civil war. My family, and most Kentuckians ancestors, have been here since the 1700s. Where did you get that from?
Most of the whites in the South have been here as long as the blacks. And I have no problem with blacks refering to themselves as "American". It is actually they themselves who want to be separately known as "African American". Why don't we all just call ourselves "American" and end the divisiveness?
The only reason I wrote the other post was because I didn't like seeing all the other people refering to Southerners as "ignorant" for refering to themselves as "American". If you are an Italian American in NYC and your ancestors came here in 1900 I think it is a little easier for you to know where you came from.
And actually, the Southern whites on the map are being the least divisive of anybody. Most Southern whites I have talked to could care less about where they came from because they think we should all just consider ourselves American. I respect them for that. I myself am a Southerner as well.
I think the first part is due to the reality of a pluralistic society that we live in, most than anything.
I think as for tracing ancestors, really you can just look at a surname and find the origins of that to find at least a good part of one's ancestry.
Do WHAT?? My city was founded wayyyy before the civil war. My family, and most Kentuckians ancestors, have been here since the 1700s. Where did you get that from?
That doesn't mean that all came after the Civil War. Considering the constant waves of immigration after the Civil War and where most of the people came from, that is not surprising.
I will have to find out where i heard that from though.
Strange that we would try to obliterate Germany, twice. In fact, the English are really just slightly declined Germans. Just ask the Welsh.
We didn't try to obliterate Germany, we tried to obliterate German governments. Did a good job of it, too :-)
But I agree with your second statement. From an outsiders perspective, England and its derivations (U.S., Australia, NZ etc.) appear Germanic as opposed to, say Mediterranean. Mexicans are asking me about that all the time especially in the context of language.
Also, having recently spent time in Ohio and Minnesota, I have no trouble believing in the predominance of German-Americans in those areas. There is a distinct cultural overlay in the same sense that you get with Italians in the Northeast or Mexican/Spanish in the Southwest.
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