I'm an American everywhere else...

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

Same goes for my comrades with Mexican ancestry,

They are referred as Mexicans, Hispanics, Chicanos, Mexican Americans and Latinos.

People born here should be called US citizens or Americans; this can be mistaken though, since people born in South, Central and North America can be called Americans as well.

Edited October 7, 2008 by GueraYTavo

[sara..... 371]

Same goes for my comrades with Mexican ancestry,

They are referred as Mexicans, Hispanics, Chicanos, Mexican Americans and Latinos.

People born here should be called US citizens or Americans; this can be mistaken though, since people born in South, Central and North America can be called Americans as well.

wellllllllllllllll in fact i was born in Guatemala but i am American lol so guess there is nothing on the paper other than citizen that i can put lol

[HAL 9000 96]

You would think that if there were so many 'people' interested in advancing the race dialogue in this country to a point where racial distinctions didn't exist, they'd refer to people for what they were- people.

Agreed.

On many forms where it asks for "race", I select "other" and write in "human".

Very good!

Throw them off a little more... ** sapiens

Same goes for my comrades with Mexican ancestry,

They are referred as Mexicans, Hispanics, Chicanos, Mexican Americans and Latinos.

People born here should be called US citizens or Americans; this can be mistaken though, since people born in South, Central and North America can be called Americans as well.

As a rule of thumb, yes, that is what people should be called. However, different cultural origins- specially those practiced concurrently to US Citizenship or Residence... should be up to each practitioner.

[rclouse 0]

The term African American's Origin

Yeah...I think we all have a good idea of where the term comes from. It's meant to be a way for good ole boys to keep from calling me

a ***, negro, colored or black. The thing is, ####### do ANY of those terms have to do with me except insult me, and try to strip away my heritage.

Thanks to the way my family was brought here...I have no other heritage than an American one.

I don't have any aunts, uncles, or cousins in Africa. Everyone I'm related to was born in America.

People who came through Ellis Island can trace their heritage...they can say "My grandfather came from blah blah county in Dublin", I can't.

My heritage was stripped from my ancestors...and they were literally forced to work like slaves.

Today when people say, "I'm working like a slave today", it's a fcuking joke. Slaves didn't work for low pay, they worked for NO pay.

Plain and simple, African-American is just as much of an insult as is ***, colored or black. It says absolutely nothing about who I am, or what I'm capable of.

Circumstances of birth (and actually nationality as well) are random, and nothing to be proud of or ashamed of....they just are.

But the fact is, I was born in a place called America...not a place called Africa-America.

That place only exists in small minds...not in reality.

Your ideas are intriguing and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Seriously, this is right on. I knew a guy who told this story about his South African (Africaans) girlfriend. She goes to the DMV and the black lady reads over her form and objects to her checking "African-American" on the form. In her thick SA accent, she says "who are you to say what I am? I'm more African than you are: I was born and raised there!"

Also reminds me of this F-15 pilot interviewed on one of those midafternoon estrogen shows (Oprah, Ellen etc.). He was asked something about being an African-American pilot and he immediately objected to the term. He said (paraphrasing) I'm an American first and foremost and my racial background has nothing to do with my citizenship.

[thetreble 19]

Seriously, this is right on. I knew a guy who told this story about his South African (Africaans) girlfriend. She goes to the DMV and the black lady reads over her form and objects to her checking "African-American" on the form. In her thick SA accent, she says "who are you to say what I am? I'm more African than you are: I was born and raised there!"

IT's funny you say this. A South African lady I work with also said something similar at the DMV. She is white. When asked if she should check african-american, the lady at the counter said, "but you are not black". How silly are some people in this world.

[almaty 19]

my dogs like to be called canine americans

[LoriLawless 0]

my dogs like to be called canine americans

[ginger1981 0]

Interesting thread. I sometimes refer to myself as Irish American...mainly in the fact that I'm proud of both my Irish and American background. But honestly if I was to spell it all out I would have to say that I'm Irish English Welsh Czech American lol. But I guess the way I look sort of lends credence to the Irish part of my genetic background.

There is nothing wrong with feeling one way or another...it's a matter of personal preference. I tend to prefer to use African American as I don't think of my friends of that background should be labled solely as a color (just as it is rather insensitive to call someone of Asian background "yellow"). Colored doesn't really work either as we are all colors and negro for obvious historical reasons. I always saw it as simply the best way to describe someone of that particular background.

[Ling Ling 22]

my dogs like to be called canine americans

Were it not for your previous comment...nevermind.

[000 0]

While I think that it is sad that our country uses those labels in as many places as they do, they are needed in some areas such as fair employment, banking(well was once needed in the day and age of in person loan applications), and other areas where racism was once/is a factor in day to day life. This country has come a long way in a short time in the form of racial progress , from our grandparents time to the new generation, compared to other countries which is a great thing but not enough to where there is no discrimination based upon ethnicity. So places still have to keep those terms around in case some one questions their hiring/loaning , or whatever practice it is, for easy access to the company or organization questioning them. Thank god that we have made such advances here that you rarely hear of cases where companies hire such few races that they are reported for discrimination but at one point this was a huge problem. Now its all based on education and previous job performance, I wonder how many companies passed up on Bill Gates for not having a college degree before he became one of the richest men in the country. I hope that one day that section becomes obsolete but until we dont have anymore ignorant people that cant see that humans are humans it is an added defense for those they wish to discriminate against no matter of what ethnicity they are discriminating.

[almaty 19]

my dogs like to be called canine americans

Were it not for your previous comment...nevermind.

just a joke brother..be thick skinned here...

and yes, this site is full of frustrated comedians...

[Ling Ling 22]

Interesting thread. I sometimes refer to myself as Irish American...mainly in the fact that I'm proud of both my Irish and American background. But honestly if I was to spell it all out I would have to say that I'm Irish English Welsh Czech American lol. But I guess the way I look sort of lends credence to the Irish part of my genetic background.

There is nothing wrong with feeling one way or another...it's a matter of personal preference. I tend to prefer to use African American as I don't think of my friends of that background should be labled solely as a color (just as it is rather insensitive to call someone of Asian background "yellow"). Colored doesn't really work either as we are all colors and negro for obvious historical reasons. I always saw it as simply the best way to describe someone of that particular background.

Please explain what this background is.

Why do we always feel it necessary to describe and judge people by things they have little or no control over, rather than the traits that actually define who they are?

I mean, when will we say "Do you mean my friend John who's a liar, a cheat, and will drive this country into the toilet or my friend Barack who's very intelligent, a great speaker, and has some innovative ways of planning for the future"?

Instead, we talk about the old guy and the Black guy.

Because I'm associated with a STEREOTYPICAL background, mostly cultivated by the media and entertainment industry, people PREJUDGE that I like certain music,

certain clothing, certain cars, and certain sports, which I actually do not.

One of the MOST ridiculous stereotypes of racists is that people of this particular background are lazy.

They forget that these are people who for hundreds of years built this country called America through hard labor, for long hours without smoke breaks, without vacations, and without pay.

Does that sound like lazy?

[Peikko 1,575]

Maybe it is time to drop any qualification from the appelet? If one is American, one is American, no need to quantify that with your genetic racial features. I have a suspicion that these 'genetic' profiles do serve to perpetuate division. Why do we need for example to break down voting patterns by race? It's ridiculous and wrong in my opinion.

[Ling Ling 22]

While I think that it is sad that our country uses those labels in as many places as they do, they are needed in some areas such as fair employment, banking(well was once needed in the day and age of in person loan applications), and other areas where racism was once/is a factor in day to day life. This country has come a long way in a short time in the form of racial progress , from our grandparents time to the new generation, compared to other countries which is a great thing but not enough to where there is no discrimination based upon ethnicity. So places still have to keep those terms around in case some one questions their hiring/loaning , or whatever practice it is, for easy access to the company or organization questioning them. Thank god that we have made such advances here that you rarely hear of cases where companies hire such few races that they are reported for discrimination but at one point this was a huge problem. Now its all based on education and previous job performance, I wonder how many companies passed up on Bill Gates for not having a college degree before he became one of the richest men in the country. I hope that one day that section becomes obsolete but until we dont have anymore ignorant people that cant see that humans are humans it is an added defense for those they wish to discriminate against no matter of what ethnicity they are discriminating.

You're kidding right?

It's a great idea...but we're a long way from it. In banking, they're often able to discriminate based on zip-code or the way a name sounds. With education, it's often very subtle. Seeing so called "African-Americans" employed in various positions, doesn't mean there's any fairness in the hiring practice.

I remember 8 short years ago going to an interview at a financial firm. My real name sounds more German (first and last) than they do anything else.

When I arrived at the interview and went to the secure area, the guy opened the door and looked around me...as if he was waiting for the guy that fit the German name.

My education and experience were more than appropriate for the position. I explained that I was there for the interview. It lasted about 5 minutes. They said they'd get back to me.

I'd have to say this country has come a short way in a longtime. Of course it has to do with perspective.

[ginger1981 0]

Interesting thread. I sometimes refer to myself as Irish American...mainly in the fact that I'm proud of both my Irish and American background. But honestly if I was to spell it all out I would have to say that I'm Irish English Welsh Czech American lol. But I guess the way I look sort of lends credence to the Irish part of my genetic background.

There is nothing wrong with feeling one way or another...it's a matter of personal preference. I tend to prefer to use African American as I don't think of my friends of that background should be labled solely as a color (just as it is rather insensitive to call someone of Asian background "yellow"). Colored doesn't really work either as we are all colors and negro for obvious historical reasons. I always saw it as simply the best way to describe someone of that particular background.

Please explain what this background is.

Why do we always feel it necessary to describe and judge people by things they have little or no control over, rather than the traits that actually define who they are?

I mean, when will we say "Do you mean my friend John who's a liar, a cheat, and will drive this country into the toilet or my friend Barack who's very intelligent, a great speaker, and has some innovative ways of planning for the future"?

Instead, we talk about the old guy and the Black guy.

Because I'm associated with a STEREOTYPICAL background, mostly cultivated by the media and entertainment industry, people PREJUDGE that I like certain music,

certain clothing, certain cars, and certain sports, which I actually do not.

One of the MOST ridiculous stereotypes of racists is that people of this particular background are lazy.

They forget that these are people who for hundreds of years built this country called America through hard labor, for long hours without smoke breaks, without vacations, and without pay.

Does that sound like lazy?

A person whose ancestors came from Africa.

I think all human beings tend to use physical descriptives if we are speaking of someone...it is not limited to one group of people. I think it has something to do with most people liking to have a visual picture in their mind of a particular person. But that is just my armchair psychiatry...