why do Americans say they are Mexican, Cuban, Salvadoreño, etc...?

[Raiman]

I really don't give a fuck if you're a citizen you're an American. If you're born here you're American. If you're born in Mexico and become a citizen you're Mexican American. I understand the need to be proud of your heritage but that's just how I look at it. Some black people like to be called African American but if you're born here you're just an American who happens to be black. To me African American is like my buddies from Liberia or Somalia that became a citizen. My 2 pennies.

[Taskforce3Tango]

I come from a long line of alcoholics. You don't hear me claiming to be Irish. *burp*

[dza76wutang]

It is because it adds a degree of differentiation, makes people feel special.

I think it is asinine and roll my eyes when people do it. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage. I'm Irish-Portuguese and I'm certainly not ashamed of it, but I also am fully aware of the fact that I am like 4th generation American and American through and through.

That being said, in most cases I give people the benefit of the doubt and assume it is just an artifact of the language. It's easier to say "I'm X" than "I am of X descent/heritage". That is forgivable/ignored. Typically large events like World Cup or Olympics help dredge up the morons who place ethnicity before nationality, and yes I think that's moronic behavior.

[MajinSaga**]

Can't believe there are two of these pointless lame threads with 100+ posts...

[MajinSaga**]

I will say this though! I find it fucking annoying when someone not from that country not only claims they're from their, but waves the fucking flag and disrespects everything that's not from their shitty third world nation.

[Cuzcatlan]

Originally Posted by IIIIIIII

it's because ignorant people still consider americans to be only black and white people.

if you were to look at a panamanian person, and before that person says anything to you...would, "american" be the first guess as to what that person is? probably not.

i am an american. the only reason why i would ever add, "mexican"...is because i know that the person is also driving at where my, "blood" is from.

in time, things like this will be a thing of the past. pretty much how brazil currently is.

Good point. Appearance has a lot to it. A light skin "hispanic" will have easier time assimilating than a darker more Indian lookin one. The other extreme will be being black "hispanics" I met a few who have assimilated to the black community.

[justblaze717]

Sadly people get classified based off appearance.

[IgnorantBloke]

Originally Posted by Cuzcatlan

Good point. Appearance has a lot to it. A light skin "hispanic" will have easier time assimilating than a darker more Indian lookin one. The other extreme will be being black "hispanics" I met a few who have assimilated to the black community.

This is what I expect to happen in the short term.

Depending on which way they marry the white and black community are going to assimilate these groups. The son's and daughter's of immigrants don't seem to be too concerned with staying with in their cultural sub-groups. If I had to guess the vast majority will assimilate into either the black, hispanic (as a whole) or white communities.

Long term I see everyone genetically evening out and hopefully we can put all this silliness behind us.

[ValeTudo95]

Originally Posted by thefirstemporer

I'm American, with English heritage. But I'm labeled as White and only White. Good ol' America.

Tell people you're Irish. Problem solved.

[ValeTudo95]