Nationality

[cav58d]

I am an American...I can trace my familys origin to this country back to the end of the Civil War....When you ask me my Nationality, no matter what country I am in, I will tell you American, and I will be proud.  Why is it that in my experience most Americans I come across feel so differently?  If I had a dollar for everytime I saw an Irish, or Italian flagged tattoo on an American born citizen who's never left this country i'd be a millionaire...So why do Americans feel so inclined to reply when being asked what their nationality is to say German, or Italian, or French?  Honestly it makes me sad...Wheres the pride?  Funny thing is you ask punk gotti wanna be quote on quote italian american teenager from STRONG ISLAND what his nationlity is here in the states ofcourse he will tell you italian...no...he will lie and say sicillian...And that he is connected to the Mafia, and that his mother is the greatest cook in the world...anyways, ask this kid the same question while he is vacationing in Europe, and my bet is he will tell you hes American...What gives?

Lately when I ask an American their nationality and they respond with something NON US I will ask them 1- Sing me, and if you cant do that, hum that countrys national anthem....2-Who is the President/Prime Minister?
I honestly dont think anyone has ever been able to respond with the right answer after these foreign claims...

whatever...I dunno like I said it just really upsets me, and I wish that the average American could have pride for the country that has given them everything, instead of identifying with a land they have never seen....

[Debonair]

Atsa da spicy meataball!
In the US or out, I tell people I'm an Oregonian.
Most of the time out of the country I have to add "near california"

[Suave]

I think that most americans don't know what nationality means. I have to keep that in mind everytime another american asks me what my nationality is.

Do I answer the question he asked, or do I answer the question he meant to ask.

[KgB]

Originally posted by cav58d
I am an American...I can trace my familys origin to this country back to the end of the Civil War

Can you trace what country they came from?

Do i have to be born in US to be an American:)?

If so
When/if  kids will be born in States,they no longer Armenians but Americans?

Jews in America arent realy jews but Americans?

I cant answer those,may be you can:)
Thanks

[eagl]

I put down "human" in the race column every chance I get...

[Pooh21]

Originally posted by eagl
I put down "human" in the race column every chance I get...

*sniff*



how touching

[moot]

uuh Meat Popsicle

[Tarmac]

Where are you asking people about their nationality?  If an American in America asks another American about his nationality, its kind of a "no **** sherlock" that he's American, so they default to their national ancestry -- ie Irish, German, Italian, whatever.  But if you're overseas, or asked by someone who likely isn't American, then you'd probably say American by default.  Its all in who's asking the question.  

Kinda like when someone asks where I'm from.  If I'm close to home I'll give my actual city name.  If I'm travelling in-state or in the midwest I might just say "Detroit" even though I technically don't live there.  If I'm far from home but still in the US I might just say "Michigan."  And if I'm overseas, I say "the USA."  It's all a matter of scale and context; it wouldn't make sense to tell the chick at the local bar that I'm from Michigan or the US - they already assume that.

[cav58d]

KGB...Listen this thread may have come off wrong to you, but by no means does it have any racist, or one country superior than the other intentions....This apply's to any nation, and I just understand how a person can live in a country...follow its laws...follows it's norms, customs and traditions, but yet when it comes down to telling someone your nationality they claim it to be some place they have never been...

To answer your questions...Yes, I can trace my roots back...As far as my family knows, every recorded member since they came here was from Germany....Trivial in my opinion though...Just because family members, generation upon generation ago came from somewhere does not mean I have any allegiance to that country, nor does it mean I should think of that country higher than others...

Do you have to be born in America to be an American?  No, ofcourse not...As soon as you obtain LEGAL status through naturalization I consider you an American, and I sure as hell hope this theoretical person would consider him/herself American first and foremost.

As far as your Jewish question...Nationality is defined as:
The status of belonging to a particular nation by origin, birth, or naturalization.
Existence as a politically autonomous entity; national independence.

Using these definations I dont think its legit to identify your nationality through religion...Theres Jews, Christians, Muslims, every denomination of religion on every continent....

But nationality can also be defined as a people having common origins or traditions and often constituting a nation, where using a religous answer to nationlity could be valid.  But then comes in the word "nation".  I would hardly call the US a Jewish Nation...Small community but it does not reflect the norms of the nation...

alright im done talking religion because I will un doubtedly piss someone off...

[Rolex]

"What gives?"

If you don't understand, let me help you.

"Lately when I ask an American their nationality..."

You're asking someone in the melting pot of America, who you know is American, their nationality?

Asking such a nonsense question would lead the person to think that you're trying to ask their ethnic background, but maybe not too bright or misspoke.

Or maybe you're just fishing to find something to rail about?

{Added: You beat me to the punch, Tarmac... we must  have been typing at the same time. }

[cav58d]

Tarmac...In my experience its not a no watermelon sherlook answer, and I think it attest how much my generation has disaligned itself from previous generations, and in specific "the greatest generation of all time"...I ask the question to certain people only looking for one certain answer, and I do that because im looking to see if theres any pride left out there...Wheres the nationalism?  Quoting the announcer from the TORA TORA TORA aerial demonstration team..."You are an American.  No matter where your family may have come from you live in America and you are American.  A member of the greatest country in the universe.....and if anyone tells you different you tell them no sir you are wrong"  I wish I could see that pride in every American...

[wrag]

I think the message here is about the divider.

When anyone uses the *******-American, what are they putting first?

The divider tends to attachs importants to that which divides us as a people.

One could say I'm an American of Irish ancestry, or African ancestory, or German ancestry, or any number of ancestories.  Possibly, or perhaps more likely, a mixed ancestory can be used.

Such a statement puts much less emphasis on the DIFFERENCES.

Semantics?  as in when (order), how (pronounciation/tonal inflection) a word is used as well as the word chosen.

Sadly few people pay much attention to semantics/word usage.

Example?  Many of the films and such put out during World War II continually reffered to Americans that might be from .......  but always came back and said they were all JUST Americans.

So I think the question being put forth in this thread is what shall we do as
Americans divide or unite?

[cpxxx]

I'm Irish, you can trace my family name back over a thousand years. But over a thousand years ago there was no such thing as Irish. So you identified yourself as per your clan or your area. That still holds true, in Ireland when someone asks me where I'm from, I say Dublin or I might explain that my Father came from Limerick and I have family there. I also have English ancestry but we don't like to talk about that;)  Overseas, I would naturally say Irish and frequently narrow that down to Dublin even though I don't live there anymore.

So you see it's not just Americans who identify themselves in that way. You might argue that that's all very well and fine but Limerick is still part of Ireland not some foreign country. (Some may disagree:lol )

The point, I'm making,  I think, is that we all like to know where we came from and be identify ourselves as part of a group or community. I think it's a natural tendency. Remember too, America is a nation of immigrants, 200 hundred years ago there were few Americans and most of them were of English ancestry. Often people from common ancestry settle in the same place. New York or Boston being a classic example. So you lived with people who could speak your language and had common customs.

I think it's just a need to be part of something a little smaller than being American. Texans I found always make a point of telling you they're from Texas just in case you thought they were merely another American.

I can't see why you object to people describing themselves as anything other than American when you meet them in America. I think for many people not just in America the country they live in is out there somewhere in a vague kind of way. But their own family, village, town, state, ethnic origin is more immediate and easy to grasp. I doubt if that means they feel any less pride in being American. I remember overhearing a conversation once. A guy was explaining he was from Minnesota and that he was the only Irishman in an area full of Germans. You can see what he meant.

I think you are being a little harsh on your fellow Americans.

[lazs2]

I put whatever is popular at the time in the race column when it comes to loans and such.   If there is an advantage to one race or the other I don't want to miss out on it.

lazs

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by KgB
Can you trace what country they came from?

Do i have to be born in US to be an American:)?

If so
When/if  kids will be born in States,they no longer Armenians but Americans?

Jews in America arent realy jews but Americans?

I cant answer those,may be you can:)
Thanks

Being Jewish isnt a nationality. Its a religeon.

YOU are an Armenian American.

Your Childen if born here are Americans of Armenian decent.

I am an American of German, Spanish,Irish,English,Hungarian,Slovac, and Prussian decent.

Not a hard concept really