I'm an American everywhere else...

[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?

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...

Some people would say that describes ALL of us.

[Sprailenes 47]

I'm native American, its pretty boring. I wish I could have something fancy in front of my label.

[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...

Some people would say that describes ALL of us.

That is true.

I see where you are coming from in regards to how you feel about being called African American as it is a valid point we should all be seen as just plain "people" in one another's eyes. But at the same point, I think most people who use the term African American are well meaning and have no ill intent.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I travel a lot...mostly Europe and Asia.

When people see me or hear me speak, they say, "You're an American aren't you?".

I puff out my chest and proudly exclaim, "Yes, I'm an American".

That's what happens when I'm in Tokyo or Beijing, when I'm in Paris or London, even when I'm in Canada or Mexico.

But when I get back to the place I was born, the place my parents were born, and the place my grand-parents were born,

they tell me I'm not an American. They tell me I'm an "African-American". Almost an American, but not quite.

Why is it that when Italian immigrants came through Ellis Island, they were called Italian-Americans, but their children

born on US soil were called Americans? The same with the children of Irish-Americans, Polish-Americans, Spanish-Americans and others.

One would think that someone who immigrated from South Africa would be called an "African-American", but since many

South Africans are caucasian, that interferes with America's picture of the so called "African American".

Almost an American, but not quite.

What makes me any less an American than the my neighbor?

Why am I considered an American everywhere but here?

Why am I treated like a first class citizen, bestowing all the rich history of my country, everywhere but at home?

Almost an American, but not quite.

You're American to me. African-American is divisive.

[Scott & Lai 12]

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".

That's what I put on the 2000 census

[#@!!* 0]

I agree with you Ling Ling, my grandparents on my mother's side, great-grandparents on my dad's, are from Japan, yet people insist on giving me the label of Japanese-American. If an ethnic description is necessary, I prefer AJA (American of Japanese Ancestry) When I used to live in England, I was American (except when they thought I was Canadian). When my nephew visited Japan, the Japanese considered him to be American, the list goes on.

The way I think of it is my family helped build the railroads, farm the lands, while part of the family was interred during WWII the others served in the military. My mother's father came over at a time of incredible prejudice against "foreigners", my grandmother was a picture bride (Japanese were not allowed to marry a Caucasion, own land, etc) , together they raised seven children, weathered two world wars, the internment, the Korean Conflict, the Great Depression, the list goes on, and yet he proudly took his oath of citizenship as soon as he could.

It took almost 50 years, but he did it. Why would I take away from the sacrifices he, and the rest of my family made by calling myself anything but American?

Edited October 7, 2008 by #@!!*

[alienlovechild 75]

I'm native American, its pretty boring.

Which tribe?

[Nessa 23]

i hear ya, i'm a caucasian everywhere else but here.

[Sister Fracas 5]

Then why do so many people of African origin insist on being called African American? How is a non-African American suppose to know who wants to be called what?

[Fatima and Syed 0]

ha at least u got American in there they call me latina or hispanic

and i am AMERICAN lol

My friend and I had this discussion and it is ridiculous that we must put our races on forms/applications. It limits what jobs we may get and apartments, etc. I really dislike it. I am not black, but I am not white either. My family is from the islands. I look like a white lady with a really good tan-up until I start talking with my thick, French accent. I tell you it is very nerve-wrecking to fill out applications and then show up and get stares as to why I did not select white. I look white, but just like you I select other and place human inside te blank because I do not feel color is important. I just feel like race is not an important factor on certain applications and so forth. I understand your frustration and I had a similar conversation with an elderly man in NYC once and he also agrees we are all human and that circling a race on an application is not necessary. I am tired of racial questions on forms it is un-called for and until we get out of it there will be no peace of mind for some of us.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Fatima and Syed

[Ling Ling 22]

Then why do so many people of African origin insist on being called African American? How is a non-African American suppose to know who wants to be called what?

I don't know of any people who "insist" on being called African American. Maybe there are some that think it's the only choice instead of Black, Colored, or the "N" word.

Perhaps they don't realize there's a choice NOT to be pre-judged on the color of your skin.

There are a lot of stupid Americans, with varying degrees of color to their skin. Skin color doesn't make you dumb or smart, and it doesn't make you aware of all your choices.

How is ANYONE suppose to know what to call ANYONE else? Call them by their name. That works for me and my friends.

[almaty 19]

How is ANYONE suppose to know what to call ANYONE else? Call them by their name. That works for me and my friends.

total agreement

[Sister Fracas 5]

Then why do so many people of African origin insist on being called African American? How is a non-African American suppose to know who wants to be called what?

I don't know of any people who "insist" on being called African American. Maybe there are some that think it's the only choice instead of Black, Colored, or the "N" word.

Perhaps they don't realize there's a choice NOT to be pre-judged on the color of your skin.

There are a lot of stupid Americans, with varying degrees of color to their skin. Skin color doesn't make you dumb or smart, and it doesn't make you aware of all your choices.

How is ANYONE suppose to know what to call ANYONE else? Call them by their name. That works for me and my friends.

Yes it works for you and your friends. But everyone is going to be labelled something. It is inevitable. People are labelled by skin color, by attractiveness (pretty, ugly), body type (short, bald, fat), age, religion, disability, and so on and so forth. I'm not saying it's right, and I'd like to see a day when everyone can just be called Ling, Ling or Sister Fracas, but people just naturally need ways to differentiate people they see, refer to, etc and they pick what sticks out as the most identifiable feature. For many, that is skin color, especially if that skin color is different from their own. I don't think there is anything malicious about it until it becomes the label that is used to dsicriminate against that person. Do you ever refer to someone as that elderly gentleman, that pretty lady, that fat guy, that Asian woman, the guy in the wheelchair, the Muslim woman? We all do it.

As far as the African American term, I don't like it, but it wasn't the caucasian community that first started using it, or wanted to use it. It came from within the black community and it IS confusing as hell to know what will offend someone. Some people strongly want to be identified that way. If this weren't the case, we wouldn't have African American Heritage/History Month, and scores upon scores of African American resources to find anything one would want to about great African Americans and their contributions to American culture.

Do you think it's possible that some of your frustration and anger should be directed at the community that perpetuates the use of the term?

As for forms, I'm all for NOT including race and leave that item blank all the time.

Edited October 9, 2008 by Sister Fracas

[pedroh 21]

I'm a Magyar

[Sister Fracas 5]

I'm a Magyar

I like goulash