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Subscribe to RSSHispanic? Latino? When it comes to describing themselves, most Hispanics prefer to identify themselves by their family’s country of origin rather than either of those two pan-ethnic terms, a new Pew survey finds.
Just over half (51 percent) say that most often use their family’s country of origin (such as Mexican, Cuban or Dominican) to describe their identity, according to the Pew Hispanic Center report. Just one-quarter (24 percent) use the terms “Hispanic” or “Latino.” Twenty-one percent use the term “American.”
The U.S. government mandated the use of the terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” in 1976 after a number of years of lobbying by Mexican-American and Hispanic organizations, according to Pew.
“The use of the terms ‘Hispanic’ and ‘Latino’ to describe Americans of Spanish origin or descent is unique to the U.S. and their meaning continue to change and evolve. Outside of the U.S., these terms are not widely used (National Research Council, 2006) and may also have different meanings,” the Pew reported noted.
Despite the formal definition, the U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-report their ethnicity – someone is Hispanic or Latino if they self-identify as such. The 2010 census counted 50.5 million Hispanics.
According to the Pew report, about half of Hispanics say they consider themselves to be very different from the typical American. And regardless of where they were born, large majorities of Latinos say that life in the U.S. is better than in their family’s country of origin.
The survey of 1,220 Latino adults was conducted in both English and Spanish from Nov. 9 through Dec. 7. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.
You can read the full report here.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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Se habla ingles, thank you!
Entonces hable inglés por favor. I think you need to work on your spanish.
De nada, Ben. BTW, buenos noches, todos, voy al bano, then to bed.
Whatever the so-called government decides... I say to them... "Vete al carajo!"...!!!
Yeah cause they sure are not Americans. How about Illegal (name your country). But they will be future voters so the politician need to keep then around for another generation. What a mess it will be. The land of entitlement.
Legal No problemo !
It is fine when you know the person's nationality to refer to them that way. But if I am asked to describe or help identify someone I don't know...
Let them call themselves what they want. I for one would like to see them call themselves English Speaking Americans.
Why not use a more broad term like Mexican. That way, no matter what Mexican country you come from, you're covered.
Phenomenal112
Kiss my ass................we do not have to work on our spanish. English works just fine in the USA, they should work on their English.........
scopata messico
Phenomenal112
Kiss my ass................we do not have to work on our spanish. English works just fine in the USA, they should work on their English.........
If English works so good for people in this forum why are they trying to write in spanish?
These designations don't really count for much anyway. The term "latino" has always been kind of iffy. Traditionally, Latins were those from Italy- Cassanova being a "latin lover" or certain singers like Caruso referred to as "latin crooners". How Spanish speaking people became known as Latins, or latinos and latinas, probably has something to do with the spread of Catholicism throughout Central and South America by earlier Portugese, Spanish and Italian explorers.
Well if they need a change then lets just change all legal forms of the state and Fed. Gov. to List;
Latino American
Mexican American
African American
Polish American
French American
British American
And so on...
Gee we would have at least 3 pages of Docs for all the different people...WTF
If you are an American then you are ONLY " American"............................................................................................................................................
This will never be allowed because it would cause politicians to have to pander to the Mexican vote, the Ecuadorian vote, the Guatemalan vote, the El Salvadoran vote, the Brazilian vote, the Costa Rican vote, etc., instead of American's votes.
I have a new Indian name for Hispano, "cool arrow"
Fine, then they can call me Irish instead of gringo.
If they identify with their "home" country, maybe they they should move back "home".
Hey Richard why not take it even further, personally Im "1/4 Irish, 1/4 Scandinavian on my mothers side, 1/4 English, 1/4 German on my mothers side" American....Why not have that selection on government papers?
Just a side note here.
We here in the U.S.A. do not have an official language. Why ??? Because Congress doesn't have the balls to pass the bill into law making English our official language
Just call all of them white. That way whenever anything happens to African Americans the media will have it so much easier.
Rather than call Zimmerman, the killer, a white - hispanic, they can call him what the media is trying to feed the race baiters all along. White. If this wasn't their intention, why not call Zimmerman hispanic - white?
You see white comes first, so that's what's people hear first and remember first. I prefer the term "other".
I can't wait to see what the gay hispanic / latino folks insist the rest of the American population call them before some idiot lawyer files a defamation suit agaist someone.
I prefer to be called legal, white, over opinionated, biggoted, straight, conservative, American, but people just call me Bob from Peru.
Instead of being called "racist" or "bigot" I prefer whitey, or white trash, or Opie, maybe even white devil!
Yes! at 1/2 Irish, 1/4 Polish, 1/4 Hungarian, I prefer the term "Mutt".
Honky, cracker, whatever. It's all good.
Ok, maybe Euro-Mutt; to be more specific. I like the sound of that...
Jive Ass-ed Honkey works for me.
Zoroaster,
Sorry to hear about the Polish.
Maybe, just, maybe because congress realizes that the founders and early legislators were juuuuuust a little brighter than most of the general public, even nowadays. Could you imagine the Midwest in the early 1800's with this law in place? All the Germans, Poles who came here (I don't even want to think what would have happened to the beer industry here.... LOL!!). What about the South?? There were more people speaking French than English at one point!!
Please get off that high horse and deal with it..... Back then, those who were bi-lingual usually made out better, financially. The right calls it "Growth in business". What NOW you have a problem with that???
I'm Just Sayin'.........
Excuse me. This article is about racial designations, not immigration status. Not all people from Mexico are illegal, and not all illegals are Mexicans. Not all undocumenteds are illegals, and not all undocumenteds came here illegally.
Zimmerman identified himself to the officers at the scene as Zimmerman, George Michael, white male, DOB 10/5/83, height 5'09", no weight, no DL. Google martinpolicereport (dot) pdf. It's in there as well as partial reports from the officers who were first on the scene and the police investigator's note that the entire incident was considered by them to be 'Homicide-Negligent manslaughter'.
Amanda, I am offended by your Liberalism. I am also offended by ABC, or was it NBC, that doctored the 911 tapes to make Zimmerman look racist. Are you going to be sensitive to me being offended?
LOL!!! It's OK Bob, I've comed to grips with it.
To re read the article press 1
To place a dingle balls border around the article press 2
To listen to Cheech and Chong read the article press 3
To support low riders press 4
To pause article for a siesta press 5
To reply: I'm American, not Hispanic press 6
To reply: I don't care what you call me, just stop calling Taco Bell Mexican food press 7
To vote for Mitt Romney former Hispanic press 8
To hear a list of current job openings press 9
To request citizenship press 0
have to admit we are ignorant about most cultures , we tend to stereotype Latin Americans or Hispanic Americans ( call just Latino or Hispanic is considered derogatory word, like call Black to African Americans) as Mexicans and people from Meddle East like Muslims, nothing more far from reallity, every country in Middle East and Latin America alike are different, even they have many things in common. We critizise immigrants because they don't assimilate quick enough, but by the other hand we have our politicians that don't want to declare English as official language and provide with special accommodation for certain groups in order to get their vote ( Democrats). That need to end , stop dividing people by origen ,we are a country of immigrant ,many of us still have traditions of our ancestors but the most important we have one language, one flag , one National Anthem.
Possibly because there's only one Mexico. There are no Mexican countries other than Mexico.
My husbands family immigrated three generations back; his great grandfather was Spanish (from Spain) and his great grandmother Mexican (actually an Indian from Mexico but most won't recognize that distinction). My husband identifies himself as Mexican and our children do as well. I'm German and Native American. So to those who would comment about illegal- _____— get a clue. This country is called the melting pot for a reason. There are millions of LEGAL individuals whose families have been here for generations and family histories include many men who served in our military.
You don't have to like someone whose skin is not Lilly white or shades of chocolate but you need to wrap you're small minds around the idea that Mexicans have been in the country for generation. If you have a problem with illegals go comment there but this is about American Citizens and how they identify their family origins.
"I prefer to be called legal, white, over opinionated, biggoted, straight, conservative, American, but people just call me Bob from Peru."
Couldn't agree more with you. At least you can form opinions, instead of bowing to every PC commandment handed down from the social engineers in the ivory tower.
I think the more appropriate term to forget is African American... if you live here legally there should be no pre-name descriptors... Either your American or your something else. African or Mexican has nothing to do with it unless you are from there by birth and citizenship.
You are so right.You are American or Not.
So very true.
These people are apparently so dumb that they can't understand the difference between ethnicity and nationality?
If you come to live in America, then you are an American first, and a hispanic second. If these people want to be identified as Mexican/Cuban/Dominican then they should go live in those countries.
All those countries are American. Do you know the difference between a continent and a state? What does that make us?
Zing!
Hunter Hutchins,
Cuba is American?
Dominican Republic is American?
Medico is American?
Time to put the pipe down. Did you go to public school?
Should have been "Mexico", not medico.
I'm not sure what this has to do with anything, since the countries I listed are neither part of the same continent nor are they states of the US. The DR and Cuba are both island nations independent of the American continent, and this was a study based on information retrieved from US Census Bureau data, which means they are talking about people who live HERE (in the US).
It's scary what qualifies as education in our high schools these days. :D
Hunter did you really just type that? Yes there is a North America and a Central America and also a South America but only one COUNTRY the United States of America that has AMERICANS......what does that make you.....CONFUSED.
In defense of stonedog, naturalized citizens must swear their alliegence to the United States of America. No other country in the world , except the USA, is known simply as America. American (USA) money is known and accepted almost world-wide.
And I agree with the fact that you either align yourself with where you are, where you swear allegience, or consider yourself a guest and shut up. If you are an American citizen, you are no longer a Mexican, a Bolivian, a Columbian, or a Salvadorian; you are an American. If you cannot learn this, stay home. Millions of other people from all over the world could do the same, or endured the same. Being Latino is no special cross. Especially for those from no where near the border.
do play dumb hunter hutchins, you know what the topic is really about.
its about bending over to kiss @ss. imo if you are an "AMERICAN CITIZEN" you are nothing but. if you want to be call cuban etc., go back where you came from.
First of all, these people? Second, of course they would rather be identified as American but since the government chose Hispanic or Latino, they would prefer to be identified as Mexican/Cuban/Dominican. Now, who's dumb?
Cuba and Dominican Republic are Caribbean nations, but Mexico happens to be in the North American continent. Gee, time to go back to elementary schooling Mr. Stonedog.
Hey Gtouch, all who's been born in any of the American continents are classified as Americans. US citizens, erroneously, claim the name for them self's.
The name of this country is United States of America, people in this country think that for some stupid reason they are the only ones entitled to the use of the name American. Guess what? Everywhere else in the world the name american means person from the american continent. Do you know what people from the USA are called outside the USA? They are called United States Citizen. Calling yourself american simply demonstrates how full of yourself you are.
Go into the hole you crawled out of and sing America, America, God shed his grace on thee. Like I care what the people outside of the US say.
Sorry Wilcop people from the USA are Americans, people from Canada are Canadians and yes there are Central Amerians and South Americans which can be from different countries. Nice try.
how ignorant are you people america is clearly the united states. mexico is mexico, we don't call mexico central americans. nice job at trying to facetious with these lame comments.
I would say that someone identifying themselves as Mexican-American or what ever Hispanic nationality is no different than someone calling themselves Asian-American or African-American. Just because someone hyphenates their "nationality" doesn't mean they are any less American than you or I. As humans, we look for ways to categorize ourselves and this is a way that we do it. For better or worse, that is the reality.
GrndHstIm
Good thing too since they are North Americans or maybe you forgot what NAFTA stands for. Seriously, look at your passport it officially informs you where you are from. In case you don't have one it says United States Citizens now we affectionally call ourselves Americans. The Americas North which includes Canada, The U.S., and Mexico, Central America, and South America.
donai006----then all americans should be referred to by their nationality so we can totally pormote the racial divide in this country. isn't pitting black vs white enough for you. i am a european-american, or more specifically german-american. pls no longer refer to ne as white
@ Hunter
Just over half (51 percent) say that most often use their family’s country of origin (such as Mexican, Cuban
These are not American countries. What are you talking about??
Read some of these comments, then ask yourself:
Are you that surprised these people don't identify themselves as Americans?
Why is there Latin American, Afican American, Asian American, but no European American?
Also, North America includes all of the Carribean and Central America as far south as Panama. I have never heard of the American Continent.
And you have just arrived from which planet?
Now if only all of those so-called "Irish-Americans", "Italian-Americans", "German-Americans", etc. would call themselves American and stop pretending they are Irish, Italian, German, etc.
Just a quick clarification for the person(s) trying to argue about North, South and Central America; There is no continent of Central America. It is only the name of the land mass that connects the major land area of north America to south America, it is still part of north America.
Not arguing any other point but i find it humorous that the people that brought it up also commented on the lack of education in geography displayed by others.
Personally i believe the government has decided the segregating the population benefits them and that is why "American" does not appear as a nationality choice on any paperwork.
I was born and raised in the USA. I am a U.S. citizen. Our republic consists of 50 United States, 49 of which are located on the continent of North America. Hawaii is a group of islands in the South Pacific. As citizens of the USA, we commonly refer to ourselves as "Americans". If a Citizen of Canada referred to himself as an American, we might look at him and say "huh?", but he is technically correct in calling himself an "american" because he lives on the continent of North America.
Hunter and Mossdog...The name of our country is the United States of AMERICA. America is in the name of the country. Should we be called United Statesians? Then how would you distinguish us from other United Statesians from the United States of Mexico (officially United Mexican States)?
No other country on either of the American continents has as part of it's name AMERICA.
Do you get it now?
Perhaps they would prefer to be called "Mexican invaders" or "Guatemalen invaders".
Citizens of the United States of America! Does that help you?
Coming from someone who is half CAUCASIAN and half HISPANIC, I personally think people are getting to racially/ethnically sensitive to everything. I identify myself as an American Hispanic, my American is alway FIRST and FOREMOST. I was born and raised here and my mother was born and raised here. I feel that the term Hispanic should still be used to identify people of Mexico, Central and South America, Cuba, Dominican Republic origin/heritage because not everyone I would meet would know that my father is Venezuelan. I feel this is an appropriate term to use in a general sense. It's no different than people of China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, etc being called Asian or black citizens of America using African American. If we start using Nationality versus a generalized term, technically any African American would need to find out which part of Africa they came from, such Botswanan American, Nigerian American, Mali American. We're getting too sensitive! Get over it! At least "we're" not being called Coloreds anymore, and technically back in those days, Hispanics fell under that category too. Again, get over it!!!!
Try calling a Canadian an American and see what happens to you.
Official name = Nickname/Short name for convenience.
-
Plurinational State of Bolivia = Bolivia
They call themselves Bolivians.
-
United Mexican States = Mexico
They call themselves Mexicans.
-
Oriental Republic of Uruguay = Uruguay
They call themselves Uruguayans.
-
United States of America = America
They call themselves Americans.
-
See the pattern?
Hispanics need to stop manufacturing this issue, and I say that as a Hispanic myself.
Are people from American Samoa American? Or Samoan?
Hunter is just trying to be cute and failing.
While he is technically correct that anyone living in either North or South America are "Americans", he is being obtuse because he also knows that the term "Americans" is used to usually identify citizens of the United States of America.
Calling us "United States-ians" is a bit cumbersome.
United Statesmen?
estadounidense?
I was, according to paperwork, born nowhere and have no biological parents--I was an abandoned infant with no paperwork left at an international orphanage for stateless children (that's the legal term for someone like me.) I was adopted by an American Vietnam War vet and his wife who paid for my paperwork (i.e. 'bribed' the orphanage to arbitrarily pick a name and birthdate) so I could get a visa and passport to bring me to the US for an adoption (and then they never told me I was adopted before they passed away suddenly in a car accident.) Even when ICE picked me up later as undocumented because they lost my adoption paper, I never stopped calling myself American, even in the deportation camp. When I finally found the courthouse where the adoption paper was filed and gave ICE the adoption record, they gave me a naturalization certificate that officially gave me the legal right to again call myself an American.
And yet I'm continually confronted by people who ask me what nationality I am. I'm a biometrics technician, I see a lot of people in the course of a day and I can expect at least two people each day to ask me that question. A typical conversation goes like this:
Person: Where are you from?
Me: Upstate New York, that's where I grew up.
Person: No, I mean what's your nationality?
Me: American.
Person: (looking frustrated) No, I mean where are your ancestors from?
Me: I don't have any.
I'm not the one trying to stick a label that says 'Asian-American' on my forehead. I'm American, quite simply. However people get upset because they think I'm getting 'an attitude' with them, and then I have to explain that legally, I'm stateless and I have no ancestors, parents, or relatives--I don't even know exactly how old I am, and I don't celebrate birthdays.
For the majority of people in the US, you believe that all these papers define you, tell you who you are, and that you couldn't exist without those papers. People like me know differently. It's not the paperwork that tells you who you are, and if all the electronic systems collapsed tomorrow those bits of paper you consider so important, the labels we give ourselves and each other, would cease to become so important and take a backseat to just putting one foot in front of the other and surviving each day. In the long run, in the big picture, the papers and the labels we give ourselves and each other are all meaningless.
Actor Morgan Freeman was asked, once,how he would eliminate racism--he said 'stop talking about it.' I agree with that--stop asking someone what race they are.
Where's the box on all those forms for just...plain...'human'?
Saying you have no ancestors is getting a little fresh... You didn't appear out of a void. They're probably not asking for racial purposes but out of curiousity about cultures. Unfortunately, in you're case they're barking up the wrong tree.
My ancestry is African and German, but I have no idea which part of Africa or Germany and I don't care. I have no interest in either cultures. On my forms I say I was born in the US. Other than that...
Nice to meetcha!
Amanda: Thanks for your post. I wasn't even aware of "stateless" status. I have actually learned something from a post today.
I totally agree though, to be free of race issues we need to stop referring to it. To be equal than be equal, no special allowances, notoriety, subsidises, special education, grants, etc, by race or sex. If we are equal we are equal, no special treatment.
America belongs to the "Native Americans" we are all guests here. Although all you chest thumping proud Americans" don't want to acknowledge that you are the original invaders, that you are the original immigrants. And that you would not have a country called "America" if it wasn't for us "Hispanics/Latinos and African Americans". You killed anyone and anything that stood in your way to seek religious freedom. And you are still doing the same thing, nothing has changed.
I am and American Citizen born in Cuba and raised from the age of 6 in the USA. I served in Vietnam and will kill and die to defend this country and the so called freedom that we have here. I am foremost a "Cuban" and no one is going to take that away from me. I married and had children with American woman, our children are Cuban-American. As they marry and have children eventually we will assimilate into this melting pot called America and be like the rest of you so called Americans. we will become "Mutts", I, like your relatives 300 years ago will be the original pioneer from my family and will become a part of history. But no matter what you think, say or feel; I am not a Hispanic, I am not a Latino I am a Family man/Friend/Human first, then a Cuban-American. Should I go back to my country? The answer is simple; should all you bigots who's invading relatives took these lands from the Natives leave along with me?
I am so tired of people hurting each other with words, crime, weapons and the one thing that fuels all of these actions "Racism". None of you pay my bills, none of you. So leave us along, because the day we "Hispanics, Latinos and African-Americans" whether here legally or illegally decide to leave. All you racist bigots will see a financial disaster that you will never recover from.
As far as speaking English in America, it's not the native tongue, it's a bastard language that "you all" put together by stealing words from other languages and forced it upon the native inhabitants. I can trace my roots back 300 years to Spain, a pure line of Spaniards that settled in Cuba and then immigrated to the USA.
This country will never have peace and unity if "you all white bread, racist, bigots" don't change your ways.
All this talk about aliens. When people ask me where I'm from I just tell them Uranus.
Easily the most racist post I have read today! Good job
Which are you then?
Um, how exactly did Spanish get to be so prevalent in Latin America?
If the US government "decides" to break up the Hispanic or Latino ethnic group into country of origin sub-groups to dilute growing political power, does that imply they will also break up the most entrenched "special interest Victim group", i.e. African-Americans, also to country of origin groups? Will we now have Kenyan-Americans? Congo-Americans? Ugandan-Americans? How do most Americans of African ancestry that "immigrated" to the US prior to the late 1890's even know which African country their ancestors came from? Further, since many of the modern African nations of today weren't independent until well into 20th century, that issue becomes even more murky. Do you use the colonial name, original country name, or current name? Additionally, those independent country's names have changed several times as well.
Democrats and African-Americans are afraid of the growing political power of the Hispanic voters, because,while they have traditionally voted Democratic, they are often NOT socially "Liberal/Progressive" in their views on social issues due to large numbers of Catholics and conservative Protestants that dominate their counties of origin. Thus, they don't support other Democratic "touch-stone" issues/groups, like Gay-rights, Abortion, etc. and are starting to "defect" to the "Dark-side" and vote Republican. Since Hispanics are the fastest growing demographic group in the US, and will be the majority ethnic group by mid century, you can see why the Democrats are "worried".
Look, I am of Hispanic Puerto Rican roots and I was born in Chicago, Ill. What the heck does that make me? Well I am a United States Of American Citizen and I am sick of the Government intruding on us all. They statred this crap in the 70's but if you ask me what the hell I am; American man! All these cars that have country flags, go home man. If you wanna be that proud go back! This identification crap has to stop! all these other countries don't place their citizens into these compartments, we should stop! Hispanics if citizens should get with it, hey man you were born here, not over there? Tell Uncle Sam and Aunt America that I was born out of you, so that make me a son not a nephew. Hey, OK like your culture or your island, and by all means visit. But know who the heck you are and where you were born...american man!
Amanda I have no words. I mean I understand your point completely is like if you were de-rooted. Do you have any desire to look back? find relatives? find information about your family history? I'm sorry if I'm being rude. I don't mean to be. I just wonder how do you deal with having no family history? I only say this because I'm from South America, our family (on my daddy's side) came from Germany, my brother and I have a strong desire to carry on our family history, we have old pictures, letters, etc. I married an american (United States) and we have 2 kids. I teach my kids about my family history and my DD middle name is my grandmother's name as a way to honor her. I carry her picture in my wallet, you get the idea.
I'm sorry if I'm being nosey
There is. Polish American, Irish American, Italian American. It does amuse me though, because I'm English with my dads side of the family having Irish roots. I can probably more legitimately call myself Irish than most Irish Americans, but I don't. It's definitely more of an american thing to do this.
I live on the edge of a big Irish American neighborhood. I imagine those of you complaining about anyone identifying themselves as anything other than "an american" would also like to complain about the numerous Irish flags that you find there?
Just wanted to say that this isn't really true. The English language takes a lot from Latin, German and French, but that's because they (Romans, Saxons, French) invaded/ruled the British Isles and the language developed due to that.
Lulu:
Yeah, the de-rooting part happened at the moment that Homeland Security was bending me over for a body cavity search prior to putting me in jail. It's very hard to relax and let a guy stick his fingers in you when you're 18 and for the first time being told that your home isn't your home anymore, your parents aren't your parents, your name isn't your name and your birthday isn't actually your birthday and since you have no original birth certificate, oh, we can't actually deport you, we'll just keep you in detention until you give us the adoption paper. No papers=life in deportation.
Do I have any desire to look back? At the time, no, I didn't. ICE had the baby passport with a Korean name on it, and had my legal BC with my parents and my name on it, but since they didn't have the adoption paper in between they refused to call me by my name and used instead the name on the passport. I refused to respond to it until a stint in solitary cured me of 'passive-aggressive resistance tendencies'. That was when I quickly learned that the only thing that mattered was the here-and-now; get sleep whenever you can, eat whatever you can as fast as you can because someone will try to take it away from you, yes maggots are edible but what they're eating isn't, don't cry during strip searches, ignore the guard getting a hard-on as he performs the body cavity search and don't cry while he's doing it. Don't cry when they hold a gun to your head an pull the trigger--it's going to be empty because if you die that's $50,000 less Homeland Security is going to get on their budget for that year. You're more valuable alive than dead.
That's when I learned that all those documents that follow you around all your life pretty much are meaningless. Family history is meaningless because it's not going to help you get through a day. It has no effect on the here-and-now and isn't going to make any difference in whether the sun will rise tomorrow. The only thing that really matters is how you handle yourself.
It's being able to act with honor and patience and compassion. It's whether you can get up in the morning and love yourself. It's whether you can live with yourself at the end of a day. It's what you feel, what you think, how you act, how you behave, that will make the most difference in life, not where you came from, who your ancestors are, where you came from, where you were born, or even whatever religion you believe in. (I was Catholic when I went in, I was pagan by the time I got out three years later--the blatantly un-Christian acts of those around me who professed to be Christian sorta helped that along.)
I am now married (husband is Cherokee/Polish) and we have two kids, boys, 9 and 8. My 8 year old is autistic and yes, I had major regrets when He was born--I kept wondering if there was something in my family history that made him that way since no one in my Husband's family has ever had it. Eventually I just had to accept it and let it go--at this point there is no way I am ever going to find anything out--the adoption agency closed down eight years after I was adopted, and the orphanage I was abandoned at was wiped out a year after I was adopted in a typhoon. The town it was sitting in no longer even exists. So my kids are learning Polish and Cherokee traditions and I just try to raise them to be the best they can be.
My oldest has his father's blond hair and chubby cheeks, and my eyes and smooshed nose; my youngest has my mother in law's red hair and my father in law's cleft chin. The school classifies them both as white--the first time I went to school for a parent teacher conference they thought I was the nanny because they don't look Asian at all.
How about American? Most of us living in the U.S. have at least 3 generation in the continent of America. If black people can call themselves African (continent) American, then why can't Cuban/Mexican/whatever call themselves plain old American? Honestly now, just WHO is profiling?
pj, I was just thinking exACTLY what you just wrote. Thank you so much for saving me the trouble. People just cannot be happy, can they?
Agreed, it's time to stop dividing races into groups and calling people by home of residence. That means if you are a US citizen then ur an American.
75-100 yrs ago whites coming to the US were divided into Irish, Italians, Poles, etc. often by using politically incorrect and insulting names. Now those groups, even though they understand their ethnic heritage is different, all primarily identify as Americans.
It's time for Blacks and Hispanics to join in as well, otherwise if we keep dividing ourselves soon we'll all be learning to speak the language of whatever country becomes our new owners, at this moment it's the Chinese.
I don't think it matter what Hispanics and blacks call themselves, because we are united by the constitution that is all we need to have in common in America. In the constitution we do have freedom of expression. Stop trying to make everyone like you, they have done nothing wrong.
Pj--and that would be peach except for two things:
1) the United States of AMERICA is the full name of our country, while the Estados Unidos de Mexico (United States of Mexico) is the full name of Mexico. BOTH countries shorten the name down to the last word.
2) HOW on earth can all those who want to be ID'd by their country of origin rather than Hispanic or Latino POSSIBLY continue to claim that Hispanic is another RACE???
And it would be much easier to drop the Hispanic/Latino designation if those referred to that way would stop SPEAKING nothing but Spanish. And Spanish was ALSO a language brought here by 'European invaders'.
I just love that "its time for Blacks and Hispanics to join in as well" crap like we're the ones who kept jumping in the way of integration every time we wanted the same rights you were assured in the social contract. If you really want to talk about being American ask yourself how many wars for independence did your ancestors have to fight to be free. We've been here just as long and have built just as much of this country with our own hands, and for our contributions we get lynched, shot, mass imprisoned, and perpetually held under suspicion. You say Blacks and Hispanics need to join in as well; I say whites need to chill the funk out with that historical revisionist crap, because you all honestly know in your heart we can call you guys out for a host of crap done over the years, and slavery's just point one.
Shut up with that noise, accept the diversity that yall guys so proclaim is the major selling point of our country, and stop being such power tools to each other.
I agree that white people have done all sorts of mess to separate groups and many still do, but they aren't alone. Actually the Native Americans have been here longer than most of the rest and lost more than anyone. Read about the trail of tears sometime if you want to talk about pain and loss. That or having children taken away to become westernized. So (being part native american) it would be nice for you non-native americans to all get out of our country and quit your complaining. But then that would be counter to many native american beliefs. When I say blacks and hispanics join in I mean for whites to stop putting up road blocks as well, so that was not solely directed at any group.
I'm talking about stop the racial divide BS and everyone realize that we are all one family. NOT a single one of us is a "pure blood" anything. The arguing point is now on what percentages, does that make sense? Just like in families each of us is different but that does not mean we can't love and respect each other. It's time the hate ended and the decent people from all groups come together and stop tolerating the bigotry from the extremes that divides us. In 1000 years much of this will be a mute point, as we'll be either dead or mostly racially indistinguishable.
So do you want to be part of the solution now or continue as part of the problem? The choice is yours.
Ciewy...."Shut up with that noise, accept the diversity that yall guys so proclaim is the major selling point of our country,.."
Too the contrary...diversity is not the selling point of America. It's the 'melting pot' concept. Many peoples from diverse backgrounds melting into one people, Americans.
The problem now is diversity. We are no longer a melting pot, where different varieties of metal are mixed together to form a unique metal, but a salad bowl where chunks of different kinds of metal are thrown in together, yet each easily distinguishable from the other.
Read history. Diversity often ends in division.
There's too much money and power derived from keeping Americans divided into neat, easily-led tribes.
We need to stop focusing on diversity and refocus on how we are alike as Americans. We all bring things to the country based upon our ancestry. Here it should come together to make us all Americans.
I prefer the term Colorado-American....
Hi, I'm Iowa-American. lol
Whatever term the 'powers that be' decide upon.. it will have done its job as a huge distraction from Real Issues that this country faces during its demise.
Hispanic, Latino, Mexican, Puerto Rican - Use whatever name you like. It will STILL NOT CHANGE THE FACT that Social Security is still raping us every pay period...
...that the EPA (aka The Saudis) are raping us,
...our public school system is an utter failure,
...that our wounded veterans do not get the proper treatment and therapy after endless and needless wars and deployments,
...that economic policy is an utter failure,
...that emigration policy is an unenforced utter failure,
...our energy policy is an utter failure (35 years the Department of Energy has had to get it together) This is an issue of national security people, not to mention economic security.
...regulations and taxes go UP... so that businesses can no longer afford to operate, and are taking jobs off shore, now more than ever.. while the same elected officials who passed those laws will point fingers at and blame those "evil business",
So you all just keep discussing the names and proper terminology... just keep fiddling while Rome burns... while those people sit up there in Washington and laugh their asses off at you ...
"Ha ha ha ha... God, we can't believe they fall for EVERY single smokescreen we throw out there...you'd think they would have caught on by now.. Oh wait! nooo.. they can't, because we control the public indoctrin... ...er... the public school system that molds their compliant minds.. We're safe!"
They are incompetent and ineffective - and should all be fired, from the top down.
Get it together people.... They're winning.
It's the division that keeps us apart. The government, the media defines different groups as African-Americans, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, etc. When was the last time you heard someone say they were English American, or French-American, etc.
I am proud of my European history. My family has been in this country since before it was a country. We have fought in every war this country has ever been involved in. While I am proud of my heritage, I am AMERICAN by birth. First, last, forever.
Only when we can ALL say we are AMERICANS will we truly be united as a country, as our founding fathers wanted us to be.
My great, great, Grandfather was Canadian, SO I guess I am Candian-Ameican.
But I still want to celebrate Cinco De Mayo......Has NOTHING TO do with America really, but what the heck, the Latinos, or Mexicans, or Hispanics want to celebrate it, so the rest of us in AMERICA have to.....I mean get to!!
I was, according to paperwork, born nowhere and have no biological parents--I was an abandoned infant with no paperwork left at an international orphanage for stateless children (that's the legal term for someone like me.) I was adopted by an American Vietnam War vet and his wife who paid for my paperwork (i.e. 'bribed' the orphanage to arbitrarily pick a name and birthdate) so I could get a visa and passport to bring me to the US for an adoption. Even when ICE picked me up later as undocumented because they lost my adoption paper, I never stopped calling myself American, even in the deportation camp. When I finally found the courthouse where the adoption paper was filed and gave ICE the adoption record, they gave me a naturalization certificate that officially gave me the legal right to again call myself an American.
And yet I'm continually confronted by people who ask me what nationality I am. I'm a biometrics technician, I see a lot of people in the course of a day and I can expect at least two people each day to ask me that question. 'What's your nationality?' 'Where are you from?' 'What's your heritage?'
My response:I'm from upstate New York.
I'm not the one trying to stick a label that says 'Asian-American' on my forehead. I'm American, quite simply. However people get upset because they think I'm getting 'an attitude' with them, and then I have to explain that legally, I'm stateless and I have no ancestors, parents, or relatives--I don't even know exactly how old I am, and I don't celebrate birthdays.
For the majority of people in the US, you believe that all these papers define you, tell you who you are, and that you couldn't exist without those papers. People like me know differently. It's not the paperwork that tells you who you are, and if all the electronic systems collapsed tomorrow those bits of paper you consider so important, the labels we give ourselves and each other, would cease to become so important and take a backseat to just putting one foot in front of the other and surviving each day. In the long run, in the big picture, the papers and the labels we give ourselves and each other are all meaningless.
Actor Morgan Freeman was asked, once,how he would eliminate racism--he said 'stop talking about it.' I agree with that--stop asking someone what race they are.
Where's the box on all those forms for just...plain...'human'?
Optionally, you can also refer to me as a Bronco-fan American......
Of course it is, you don't think I would want to be confused with a Raiders-fan American, do you?
Amanda, I'm all for the term "human." I wouldn't argue against that at all either. I just say American because it's helpful to have a unified country identity. Kind of like the use of a flag in battle. It unifies the troops, rallies them around it when things get tough, and provides them with direction.
Blacks aren't "calling themselves African-Americans", it was forced upon them, you know history right? It went from "n****s, to "negros" to Afro-Americans" to "African-Americans" to "blacks"
I'm sure they'd prefer AMERICANS but when people are FORCING NAMES upon them in just about EVERY FORM, what do you expect?
Gee, what african americans? I guess just calling them americans would be a slur? Kinda slur de jour. Never know what's next.
So what are the blacks in Africa called....Africa Africans? Are American Indians Indians from India? Are Hispanics Spanish or Spanish Americans, or this is getting to PC silly? If you are a citizan of the US you are all just Americans. I am very proud to be an American. I won't push 1 for English, and I object to all the labels and signs that have Spanish. Everyone has a culture, everyone can be proud of their culture, but American first, and English first.
No reason they can't learn English and keep Spanish or whatever other language going in their families and communities, but English should predominate in public signage. Of course, if you go to Quebec you might want to speak French but their signs are in French and English. Seems a good compromise.
Color blind racism much? Believe it or not our nation recognizes race. How do I know? I was a census taker in 2010. Race is a factor in our government, therefore, we must address people of a specific ancestry and history. What do we call them? What ever they want to be called. Some of them do not like to be called black, therefore, a sociably acceptable name has been accepted which is African American. If you have a problem, consult your local politician to support a bill which eliminates government recognition of race.
Thank you Phenomenal112,
Good idea, think I'll see what happens when I suggest that to my congressman. That might change when entitlement reform is worked out next year.
And some of them want absolutely no association with Africa at all. They re not from there, and none of the family they know are from there. Plus, not all blacks in the US came from Africa, at least not for the last couple of thousand years. If I can be called white by other races, I can call them black. It is NOT an insult. It refers to nothing but the skin color. If you infer more than that, perhaps you are the racist, and that you pertains to whomever is reading this.
Phenom...I'm an Afro-Euro-Native American.
Native American because I'm a native of where I was born, America.
Euro because my ancestors most recently migrated from Europe.
Afro because humans evolved in Africa (then migrated to Europe), and therefore we are all ultimately African.
Phenom,
All African Americans are black?
Nope. Americans is the only term we should use for citizens of the USA.
@ hs321
Umm, that's fine and dandy as long as the person believes in evolution...
Remember... There are those who think we just popped out of thin air infront an apple tree, and there are those who think aliens dropped us off.
but I'm with you on the evolution point there. Just pointing out that while all these people are screaming "American" or "[insert whatever here] American", that there are countless other things that divide us in ways far more... dangerously so to speak... than our origins..
Religion, political stance, the way one dresses... those are far more dividing than "I'm English American"
Also, the COUNTRY OF ORIGIN has value like or not. "Jewish American" may not celebrate Christmas, while "African Americans" might celebrate Kwanzaa. Bunch up Japanese and Chinese into "Asian" all you want, but rest assured that they are very different people. Yeah, we all live in the US, but that doesn't mean you must be some generic "American."
LIVE AND LET LIVE.
lol everyone tends to identify by country. White people usually say a country or geographic area. Asians and Hispanics are just the same. The only time we've run into a difference is with African Americans which is simply because they were brought to this country and most have a hard time tracing back ancestry.
Nice job with the "news article"
I am taking about the recognition of race by the government not what people should call you. Call yourselves what ever you like, but, the government is going to try to label you. Hispanics wants to labeled specific terms depending on their origin. They want to be addressed a specific way.
Hey, I'm Irish American and I want special priviledges due my ethnicity. Free beer and make me a policeman.
topangadick,
You also should get 40 acres and a mule. Long before Africans were sold into slavery, the English sold hundreds of thousands of Irish men, women, and children into slavery on probably some of the same blocks that Africans later stood on and were sold. This was in the 1600s. Same treatment as the Africans. Same slave ships. They were used on plantations in the islands and to begin the big plantations in America. Africans came much later. I'm not talking about indentured servitude, that came much later. No, it was the whole slavery enchilada that so called African Americans like to tout so mucn. We were first. We got over it. But you still oughta get 40 acres and a mule.
Since you're a HOG lover why don't you get some HOGS and move in with topangadick?
Are you available?
First of all what advantages does a black man have due to his/her ethnicity topangdick? Secondly, hog lover the British might have had Irish slaves but did the Americans have Irish slaves? Were they forced to come here and work in their fields? Did they loose their original identity? Irish people do know where are they originally from right? Ireland? Does an African American know where they are from? What Africa? The only advantage is affirmative action. Someday it should be dissolved, but that times is not yet.
The answers to your questions are YES. They were forced to come here by the English and work in their fields. They did separate families. They did lose their original identity. It is as difficult to trace roots before slavery for those who had Irish slave ancestors as it is for blacks who had slave ancestors from Africa. And no, all blacks in America from the beginning were not slaves, although most were.
What's the point of affirmative action when the highest office in the land is held by a black man. Seems to me like that would make us kind of down the totem pole as far as job prestige goes.
Affirmative Action is ALWAYS wrong if used to discriminate due to race, creed, gender or religion.
Any attempt at labeling others is extremely prone to error. Each person can refer to themselves as they like, and in politeness everyone else should respect that.
Many were brought over as "Indentured" servants. In some instances they worked for a set # of years for the family that paid their passage, and then were freed. Others, especially after the civil war were brought over on the idea that these people would do the work the slaves would no longer do. They came from Italy and Spain mostly and forced into a life of peonage. They worked in a share cropper type system that they could rarely pay their way out of.
The Railroad barons in the west also had Chinese/Asian slaves and Chinese/Asian indentured servants...
Janine,
Indentured servitude came much later than the enslavement of the Irish in the 1600s. Their enslavement was no different from the enslavement of Africans. Same conditions, same treatment.
Let's drop all those terms and use "Human" and "American".
Actually, I alternate my race frequently on applications and on the last three census. I have listed nearly every race over the years. If somone doesn't like it, let them prove that I am somthing other than the race I have chosen. It should be illegal to ask anyone what race they are.
Last census I was the skinniest whitest American Samoan that ever lived.
Lol I was a census take in 2010. If you put all of that I would have loved it because it would have made my day interesting. A lot of people just slammed their door on my face or sent their dog after me.
I'm 55 and have yet to see a census taker in my life.
They come if you don't fill out the Census when it comes by mail every 10 years. The next time you will see one is most likely going to be in 2020.
HogLover:
I almost choked to death when I read the "skinniest whitest American Samoan" bit! LOL!
Drop all the suffixes and prefixes. Either you are an American or you are not. Period !
Yes ignore the Constitution like mike hill and forget all about that freedom of expression nonsense.
Yes, thats what the potus, would like to do.
People do not assimilate -multiculturalismis a failed experiment. Even the immigrants of the 1800's kept their heritage. German town, China town, etc. But they were American and proud of their new Country.
The new immigrant is here only for what we can do for them.
Screw 'em.
People do assimilate. A**-holes seem to have territory problems. There is a HUGE difference between keeping your faith and traditions, and keeping your allegience. Assimilation is about adopting a common language, a common law, a common set of rights, and a common set of respects. It has taken us all a little longer for the last two, gringo and latino alike. But, I know too many mixed personal relationships and mixed backgrounds to suggest that assimilation does not exist. We just need to displace the "so-called pure-bred White Anglo-Americans" to let the the rest of us mongrel Anglo-Americans and our friends (red, black, yellow and brown American) have our voice and our vote.
Some say that the Latinos are trying to out-breed the Anglo's. Others say that we weaker Anglos are just playing for other races' votes. Who cares where the truth is, "white-Anglo-purists" are and will be a minority. Just like they were in the South 250-150 years ago. And look at how that turned out.
BOTTOM LINE...If you don't like the country you're from or you do, but don't have the opportunities to thrive & choose to have a try @ making a living in another country, such as the USA. You MUST assimilate, or you are just a guest. If you swear allegiance to this or any other country, you are now a citizen of said country and you should speak the language of that country. No country should be spending tax dollars for signage or duplicate forms to accommodate any other language. I'm planning on moving to France & I have notified them that they should put english signage everywhere as I don't plan on learning the language. Doesn't that sound stupid?
Glenn...
Spoken like a true republican!
I bet you're one of those people that believes you speak American instead of English.
*not impressed*
Zapix, that's not actually a rebuttal of Glenn's comment. It's just ad hominem. You might as well have said "Yeah, well, you're a doodyhead!"
Learning the language of the country you have immigrated to is just common courtesy. You'd learn French when becoming a French citizen, wouldn't you? I mean, you wouldn't want to come across as one of those Ugly Americans we hear Europeans complain so much about, would you?
It's not that simple. Even when you speak the language and sworn allegiance. Think the Jews in Germany didn't swear allegiance to Germany and didn't speak the German language? It was arbitrarily decided by the government in power that that was insufficient and they issued special papers that changed their status, marginalized and shunned them, then if the paper got lost or the government simply refused to acknowledge the legality of the papers, they were shipped off to deportation camps where many died.
Now it's happening here.
I disagree with you. I'm a first generation immigrant, my parents and rest of the family are still in my country of origin and have no desire to ever come here (except on vacation). I'm married and have 2 kids. While I'm very proud of my heritage and we do celebrate it. I've embrace american culture, customs and language. I'm very active in my community and church. I volunteer, support local business, pay taxes (pay private school for my kids) etc. I thinkmany americans have the notion of only illegals, ignorant, lazy hispanics move to USA to milk the government. I came here because I wanted to attend college and learn english, I attended school but them I met my husband (an american) we got married and decided to settle here instead of my country. We visit my family often. But we call United States home, but I also call home Chile, we celebrate both Independence Days and Idon't feel I'm less committed to USA because I still love the country where I was born.
Lulu_at_the_beach,
Welcome. My daughter lived in Santiago for two years as an exchange student. She loved it and talks of going back to explore the country. She being bilingual is an advantage and I believe if more Americans were bilingual there would be more tolerance and cultural understanding. We are way behind and as much as I believe in English as the language of our country, another language should be required in all schools from 1st grade through 12th. My opinion.
This is the United States of America. If they do not want to be Americans, then they can pack their bags. And well their at it, they can do the rest of us a favor and grab their freeloading ILLEGAL cousins and take them with them.
Travis-having a hard day? WaaaWaa.....listen, If you haven't heard the United States is about FREEDOM. People can be United States citizens and still retain some of the values and beliefs from their home country. You can do nothing about it. Go to China town in San Fran or Seattle Or even Vancouver or any of the ethnic communities in New York and you'll see what I mean. You sound immature and insecure. Blaming others or being filled with anger will not help you.
Dano, What Travis is saying I believe, is that when you become an American you accept the responsibilities of being an American. No one is saying that you have to lose your ethnic values or beliefs. My family has been in this country for almost 400yrs, and we still hold to the old traditions of our roots. You are free to have those beliefs and traditions so long as the practices don't go against current US laws.
It's the ones who believe we should change those laws to coincide with their beliefs is what is wrong. Such as Sharia Law which some have tried to instill into our system. I remember in TX some years ago some Mexican nationals were arrested for participating in cock fights which is illegal in this country. Their defense was that the American government was discriminating against them because cock fighting is a part of their Mexican heritage. That's the type of thing I believe that Travis is trying to say. You are free to live here as a legal US citizen, but ONLY if you obey the laws of this country.
Ah, that's not entirely accurate. You are free to live here as a legal US citizen even if you break certain laws.
There is for instance, a law in my municipality that was passed in the late 1800's banning cursing in a public place. People break that with impunity and nothing happens to them.
On the other hand, if you're missing a piece of paper you're no longer free to live here as a citizen. I was adopted as an infant from an international orphanage for stateless children (children with no paperwork/birth certificate) an my parents legally brought me in through INS. They didn't tell me I was adopted before they passed away suddenly in a car accident.
18 years later USCIS finds they've lost/misfiled my adoption paper, and come to me for a copy. I had no idea what they were talking about and was then declared 'illegal' and shipped off to a deportation camp, told me I would spend the rest of my life in deportation unless I gave them the paper. (couldn't deport me because I was stateless.) Sat in there for three years until I found the paper by writing to every courthouse in 3 states. They don't make the distinction between 'illegal' (someone who has committed a crime) and someone 'undocumented' (missing a piece of paper.)
And then there's the naturalized citizen, Iraq war vet who was smoking medical marijuana as treatment for his PTSD. He was accused of doing drugs and deported, even though he had a legal prescription for them--ICE didn't bother calling the prescribing doctor to ascertain the prescription was real before deportation.
hey pj-965429:
if you're Cuban/Mexican/whatever, you're an American American, no doubt about it.
Believe it or not when I talk to many Caucasians, I ask them what is their origin. They give me I am half this, 2/3 that, and a little bit of this etc as the list goes on. I listen and nod as I think to myself, "I am sorry that I asked." I guess I expect a story of an European coming to the United States and having a journey, but, what I get is their genealogy. I know this has nothing to do with your statement though. But might have something to do with identity.
I like to use the word "white" and not 'honkey" but then who cares.
Seems we will have another illegal word to go to discrimation court over.Why are we not all just refered to by our name and not color?
I am German American and my family suffered during WWI and WWII. The discrimination has scarred the psyche of my family for generations. I want some affermative action stuff, and a cash payout from the government. Maybe I should get a hoodie, pull my pants down, wear some colors, pack a pistol, sell/take drugs, and get some respect. Now don't diss me or laugh when I ax choo ta give me some of that free stuff. It ain't my fault.
Listen,
My long dead great-gr****- grandfather-in-law will stab you with his Hessian bayonnet, if you try to touch my nominally 1/2 Irish white ass. That's if you can fight through my German, Polish, French, English, Dutch and African friends. (After 300 years, don't ask about Cameroon vs. Mali, they don't know.) And NONE of them dress like you descibe. Or behave the the way you describe. Maybe the problem isn't your history, or their history, but your NOW. Something you can either change or leave. And that is the beauty of America, and its curse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American
Damm German Americans your ancestors have already taken over our nation.
Comparing Germans to American slaves? You're friggin racist
TimmB, I'm afraid you just got whooshed.
Or how bout something each one of them respond to like..
"You beaners looking to buy a few fake green cards or social security cards?"
I don't give a F*ck about you bigots, I am a proud Mexican American love this country and I am so tired of seeing you F*cking progressives and liberals turning this into a country i left because there freedom is restricted. Keep thinking about being entitled and watch how you will turn into the very people you despise.
You're too pissed off to be a Mexican American. You're an American. The only criticism I can come up with is you spelled f*uck with a capital F. Maybe you just wanted to show emphasis?
Anyway, be an American, it's fun.
Kippy,
I have to agree with HOG Lover, only a REAL American can be pissed at us that way. I don't really have a problem with Mexican-American, or Irish-American, or Afro-American; as long as the intent and passion is on the American part. Even we "liberals" are alarmed by the Latino-power rallies erecting Mexican and communist rebel flags over "our" territory. Whether individuals want to accept certain truthes or not, either their land was rightfully won in battle, or bartered away in a treaty. And this is not ubique to any given people or race in human history. Read the history of Egypt, ancient Israel, Rome, China and India.
Yup, we stole this land fair and square!
Looks like the Mexicans will win it back simply by outbreeding everyone else.
I guess thats a more fun way of taking over a territory than killing people and being killed (having lots of unprotected sex off of birthcontrol and popping babies out of the oven like sugar cookies at Christmas)
ponderer,
Yep, just like every country in the world today. Weaker groups are overcome by stronger groups. Not a single country in existence got here without "conquering" others.
um, uh, you know, um, I um, am, uh a half and half. So, um, you know, uh, what does that make me? Stop the racism, give away the country, um, these people deserve it. After all, we are greedy America, and uh, ya know, we should, um, you know, be ashamed.
The arrogance shown by many here is beyond belief. America is broken into two continents plus central America and everyone, EVERYONE who lives in this western hemisphere has the right to call themselves Americans. All those who live in Europe are Europeans, in Asia, Asians, in Africa, Africans, the idea that we are uniquely American is mind blowing. With as I said the arrogance that is shown it is no wonder in many respects we are resented by many as some of us have the audacity to say only can those in the US call ourselves Americans.
Well, I see you understand exactly how it should be. How many Peruvians (besides Mr Zimmerman), who live in Peru, call themselves Americans? Colombians? Do they call themselves Americans? Argentinians? Do they call themselves Americans? Chileans? Get my point? We live in the United States of AMERICA! How many Mexicans (in Mexico) call themselves American?
If they wish to be South Americans, fine. Or Central Americans. But we are the Americans. That is not arrogance. That is just the way it is. If they resent us, it is not because of our arrogance, it is their jealousy. We are the greatest country on earth at this time. That may change some day but for now that is the way it is. You've never been anywhere else, have you?
Here's good one. How many Canadians living in Canada call themselves Americans?
Technically we are Citizens of the United States of America. The Preamble of the Constitution begins with, "We the People of the United States of America", not "We Americans". The term "Americans" is just an abbreviation that we have taken on for ourselves. Technically, all residents of the Western Hemisphere are "Americans" first, then subdivided into the 2 Continents and various Nations they are citizens of.
HOG Lover,
Regarding the Canadians, Colombians, Argentinians, and Chileans; I suspect they ALL consider themselves Americans. The Peruvians maybe not so much.
America was an European name created for this "New World", which was neither new, now uninhabited, nor uncivilised. But in the narrow, and zealous gold and wealth hungry, view of the Europeans these were 'primitive people to enslave, educate and convert". Despite the fact that they possessed higher order calendars, mathematical systems and medicines.
The REAL American name belongs the those among us who sieze the following concepts:
Anyone who attacks my neighbor attacks me. -- How often have we withdrawn from that?
As long as my conduct does not harm my neighbor (of whatever color), and his conduct does harm me; we live in peace.
If I live in peace with my neighbor, I can depend upon him for help in time of struggle or distress.
Simple rules, for a simple time. But long gone by the time of the Revolution. And spat upon by ecery government since. It would take Latin American, including Mexico, nearly a century to gain indepedence.
MK1--sorry, but if you ask anyone from Egypt if they consider themselves Africans, they will probably say no. Ditto Morroccans, and many other groups who consider them selves ARAB.
And 30 years ago, the people who lived in a whole chunk of Europe were referred to as Russian, or Soviet, whether they wanted to be or not.
But the US has ALWAYS been the Us of AMERICA, and most other countries in the western Hemisphere do NOT have that word in the name of their country.
United States of America - that's the name of the country. That's why we call ourselves "Americans."
You suspect, but do you know? The best way to get into a fight with a Canadian is by calling him American.
Most Americans prefer them IN their countries of origin.
So we would have preferred Fermi in Italy, and Einstein in Germany? And all the 1000's of Nazi scientists and engineers that sent the USA to the moon should have stayed in Germany?
Bil Marvel--you know, I would LOVE to have our current immigration LIMITED to people who can demonstrate that they can CONTRIBUTE to the success of America (yes, the hated name) rather than counting on America as their welfare source.
Like Fermi, Einstein, Oppenheimer, et al.
Hispanics refuse to learn our language, and have always attributed themselves to some other country. Yet their ranks receive a large portion of entitlement programs. Just doesn't seem fair people that don't associate themselves with the U S should demand so much of it's resources!
Bullsh*t, concerned citizen. They do try to learn English as my family from Ecuador did. They won't speak it or write it perfectly and get made fun of because of that but they do learn. By the way, in the Spanish speaking countries, when foreigners speak imperfect Spanish they usually do not get made fun of. Anyway, I digress. I am not saying there aren't some who won't try to learn English. They do exist and they will not advance far in American society. Not far beyond the dishwashing and car washing jobs.
Racists, racists everywhere!
Just push 1 and join the rest of us Americans.
UncleSam,
What right do I have to "push 1"? I don't expect to be pushed. And I will push back, with greater force. And push me again and I will put you down, by fair means or foul. (That means I'll cheat or just shoot your sorry ass.) Most Hispanics or Latinos that I know avoid aggressive contacts like you describe. Perhaps you just pushed the wrong one, and got what you deserved.
@Bill Marvell
"I don't expect to be pushed. And I will push back, with greater force. And push me again and I will put you down, by fair means or foul. " -Internet tough guy
Do you really not get the reference? You're a worthless idiot.
"Most Hispanics or Latinos that I know avoid aggressive contacts like you describe"
I'm Mexican American, come down to Dallas! Hispanics here and around don't "avoid aggressive contacts", they ARE the aggressive.
" Perhaps you just pushed the wrong one, and got what you deserved."
Why so much trouble getting the reference?
Press 1 for English. Press 2 to disconnect. Call back when you can understand English.
If they live in this country LEGALLY, they need to call themselves AMERICAN. If they want to be identified as Mexicans, El Salvadorans, Dominicans, etc....they should GO HOME.
You can see that their loyalties and allegiance is not to the US. Only 21% consider themselves Americans. I also wonder how many respondents were illegal aliens. I know many Americans of hispanic descent who consider themselves AMERICANS first and foremost. It is a slap on the face to these loyal Americans to have statistics that do not distinguish between them and criminals.
I don't blame them a bit for coming over here trying to have a better life. Many send their money home to support families and spend long months or years away from them. Don't blame them, blame the politicians who have not had the balls to fix immigration so it works for all who want to be here.
Sorry, Hog, but NOTHING in our immigration law/policy should have ANYTHING to do with those who WANT to come here--we have PLENTY of poor, poorly educated, and unemployed people of our OWN without any need to import more.
Rather, blame the politicians who PANDER to the illegal vote (those Hispanics who consider the rights of illegals to be paramount merely because they speak the same language) rather than what is good for AMERICA and her LEGAL residents/citizens.
And please note--we do NOT let Haitians come here because of the economic issues THEY face, (which are MUCH worse than those accross our southern border. We shouldn't do so from another country Either.
I'm not a "credit score", a "consumer",a "social security number", a "generation X", a "baby boomer", a "wop", a "beaner", a "@!$%#",a "whitey",a "racist", a "gay", a 'lesbo", a "breeder", a "republican", a "democrat", a "liberal", a "holy roller", an "athiest", a "conservative", an 'independent", a "libertarian", a "retard", a "mouth breather", a "jew",a "drunk", a "pot head", a "fatty", a "professional victim", a "convict", or even an "American"...
I am however a human being, just like everyone else.
None of that other stuff matters, but you can't say @!$%#. That's the biggie. Worse than c*unt really. It can start wars. Silly, isn't it.
Funny how it's O.K. to say I'm Italian or Australian and even South African and you are born on U.S, soil and speak with a slit accent due to your parents upbringing and know body tells you to go back to your country!!! So I'm Mexican born on U.S. soil and speak both English and Spanish and can be deported in a heart-beat or even killed due to idiots racial profiling me and even wannabe neighbor hood patrol scum carrying hand guns. So maybe I should say I'm Latino or Hispanic and I'll fit RIGHT IN RIGHT, I don't think so I'm Mexican and NO I'm not going back to my country cause this is my country U.S.A. the free world, free to practices my religion, speak my language, and on any giving Sunday I will grill some (carne asada) in my back yard, drink some Coronas and I will have all the Gringos say HEY that smells good are you making carne asada!!!! Love this country!
Jorge--funnyhow it is that the Italians, Aussies, and S. Africans do NOT expect the US to learn THEIR language, nor do they want American kids to have to learn about their (and ONLY their) culture (when exactly did you EVER see a school in CA or TX that wanted to require a special class in Irish history, or Nicaraguan History, or Chinese history?
But you DO see groups wanting MEXICAN history taught as a class.
And you do NOT see those immigrants from those other countries tearing down the US flag (and desicrating it) while WAVING the flag of Germany or Thailand, or Brazil.
And PS--I'm short, with long dark hair, speak passible Spanish, and have lived in both Mexico and Nicaragua.
And I'm TIRED of Mexico considering the US as its welfare relief valve for its OWN failures in its economy/society.
Exactly. When my (non-English) ancestors came to America - mostly as refugees from wars and famines, not because they felt like it - they learned the language and laws of their new country. They put in an effort to be American. For example, one set of my great-great-grandparents came from the region of the French-German border and left during the German unification wars of the 1860s; originally they (identifying as French) went to Montreal and then their kids went to Detroit. My grandmother grew up in Detroit and her parents forbade her from learning French - even though that was the only language her grandparents (still living in Montreal) were fully fluent in. Nowadays? If you find anything French in our house, it's just the bread or the family vichysoisse recipe.
And if for some reason, I actually wanted to be a hyphenated-American.... sorry, no. Apparently, our government and society have decided you can be African-American, Asian-American, etcetera, but not European-American.
Jorge...you're right, but most "Mexican-Americans" don't feel the same it seems. They feel that the USA owes them something and make no effort to assimilate. I recall just last May 5th, a Mexican holiday. Mexican-Americans were in an uproar over other Americans wearing the USA flag on their T-shirts on May 5th. How arrogant. May 5th is a Mexican holiday, and if you choose to celebrate it here in the USA more power to you, have fun. I however am not of Mexican heritage and May 5th is just another day to me. So why is it disrespectful for me to wear my flag on any day of the year? I Don't recall hearing of any USA ex-patirots living in Mexico rioting on the 4th of July when Mexicans were spotted wearing the Mexican flag on their shirts.
Glenn Peach, May 5th is NOT a Mexican Holiday. One town/state, Puebla, in Mexico celebrates it and that is pretty much it. It was the US beer companies that started to popularize it here in the 80's as a way to sell beer then it took off. I don't think Cinco De Mayo would be what it is today without the American commercialization of it.
Perhaps you're right Mr. johnson, You seem to know more about Cinco De Mayo than I do. Doesn't change the point though. Unless all of the Mexican-Americans who were outraged last may 5th were from the one town/state of Puebla.
Most Hispanics and Latinos confuse the the differentiation of culture and ethnicity to country of origin. As a Mexican American, I've always found myself as a Hispanic because of my Spanish European roots that are mixed with it and my fair complexion. Some of our brothers and sisters from Mexico and other Latin American countries are mixed with Indian factions and are more considered Latinos based on their geographic Latin American origin. To simply discard the "Hispanic" ethnicity would confuse our people even more because people like me are not considered "Mexican" by our Mexican counterparts and are not considered American by the same. We might as well be "mutts" then. I'd also consider myself Latino based on the blood I carry from my father, who's Indian factions originate in Jalisco, Mexico.
Oh and for all those who think we can't read or write in English because of our ethnicity, learn to spell in English yourselves! Our people were here before you!
In Colorado--MY people were in Colorado LONG before YOUR people were. BOTH of us have ancestors who were European, who came, saw, and conquered. And BOTH of our so called "native" ancestors ALSO conquered, and in the case of the ones of Hispanic heritage, probably ABANDONED Colorado in favor of points south. If YOUR people 'own' America by virtue of having passed through, then Guatemalans OWN Mexico for the same reason. Funny that Mexico is building a fence on THEIR southern border.
And the reason we think 'Hispanics' can't read or write in English is because MANY cannot. My school district in CENTRAL MO has nearly one of every 6 kids is classified BY THE STATE as "lacking English proficiency."
And my best friend is a reading specialist who no longer has any time for 'American' kids with learning disabilities like dislexia, because ALL her time goes to teach kids not only how to read in ENGLISH, but also to even recognize the alphabet--and I'm NOT just talking about the K-1st graders.
My family was in Colorado when it still belonged to Mexico. We came from Spain in the 1500's as the wave of spanish settlers that came after Cortez, the conquistador.
However, I am as American as anyone can get having been educated in American schools including post graduate program at the University of Washington.
Growing up everyone tried to confuse me about who I am and where I came from.
Bottom line is I am an American and no one can deny the fact of my birth in this country.
Call me what ever you want. I now know who I am, an American.
I will never be anything else.
Yea! Finally......a real American! I'm so tired these hyphenated names. They only create segreation of human beings. Whether we are born American or become an American by citizenship, that is the only name we should call ourselves. My roots certainly make me a Heinz-57, from German, Irish, Polish, Austrian, Spanish, English, and on and on if you go back far enough! But I consider myself a true American. I honor and love learning where my ansestors came from and about other people's cultures, but first and formost, if this is your home you should consider yourself "American" with nothing else added to that name. Nor should we have to seperate ourselves as black, white, hispanic, asian, etc.