Does it irk you when we say "I'm ____-American"?

[Ó Cathasaigh]

Ask any American what he is and you'll get a response like "I'm German" or "I'm Scottish" etc based on what their ethnicity is. Now natural born citizens of these countries often dislike this.

Why? Wouldn't you think that the home nation of the millions of families in America would be proud to be remembered as the original homes of these family names?

Explica por favor.

[Kiljan Arslan]

I say I am American but with Anglo, Scottish, German, Irish, and welch ancestry.

Peolpe shouldn't say they're african american they should say they are an American of African descent, same goes for all my fellow peolpe of european descent who seem to put their anscestors country of origin first.

[Cúchulainn]

I detest it.

Like "I'm Irish".

NO, NO your not.

You know nothing of Ireland, just because your 1/16 Irish, that doesn't make you one.

Christ, there are more "Irish" people than there are Irish people.

[Thanatos]

I proudly say that "I'm American."

If I'm pressed, then I'll tell them my ethnicity.

[Sosobra]

I detest it.

Like "I'm Irish".

NO, NO your not.

You know nothing of Ireland, just because your 1/16 Irish, that doesn't make you one.

Christ, there are more "Irish" people than there are Irish people.

Wow you really get worked up over nothing. Who cares what people call themselves it doesn't detract from your heritage, hell imitation is the highest form of flattery. Geesh try some decafe before posting.

I call myself American (even though I am Mexican and German, equally) and only say my ethic background if people are interested

[Cúchulainn]

Wow you really get worked up over nothing. Who cares what people call themselves it doesn't detract from your heritage, hell imitation is the highest form of flattery.

But it pisses me off when people call themselves "Irish" and have no idea about the country.

It's the same ****ers who funded the IRA for 30 years.

Morons who know nothing about the situation.

[Kanaric]

If someone wants to know my ethnicity I tell them. I dont say i'm "german-american" or anything foolish like that.

If you are living in this country and its obvious you are not foreign or an immigrant you are american pretty much. You don't need to reiterate that fact.

If someone asks you your ethnicity (not nationality) saying american doesn't make much sense.

[Gwendylyn]

I've never seen an American answer about their ethnicity in front of foreigners as "Irish" or "German". If the person asking me is not American, then I will say American, much like anyone with half a brain. If they are American and they obviously know I am too, I'll say "My family is English".

The idea that an American would say "I'm Irish" to a guy from France is ridiculous. Americans do, however, have a strong pride in ethnic heritage. I suppose it's familial pride mixed with the idea that you are somehow different than the rest of the mutts running around the country.

The best example of this, though, was when a guy told me he was Native American.... 1/32 Cherokee.... Some socially inept people just seem to think these are interesting talking points.

[Thanatos]

The best example of this, though, was when a guy told me he was Native American.... 1/32 Cherokee.... Some socially inept people just seem to think these are interesting talking points.

Let's hope The Man With No Name doesn't see this.

[JP226]

I don't like it either really. I guess i could say i'm a english, french, german, scottish irish cherokee american. I hate terms like mexican americans or cuban americans or the worst, African americans.

[Gelgoog]

its funny because when you ask immigrants who get their citizenship, they are very proud to only identify themselves as americans. you never hear an immigrant say they are irish-american.

[Richard]

I notice certain Australians I meet have a tendency to do this also, usually those of the 'wog' variety. "Hi, I'm Greek. Although I don't hold Greek citizenship, have never actually been to Greece, my grandparents who emigrated here were actually from Cyprus, and I don't speak the language other than a few words...I'm still Greek". It's as if they expect me to think they're not just another dirty nasty Australian =/

And it makes me think, "well in that case I'm bloody Irish then". Although I'm not really. I would not dare say I'm an 'Irish New Zealander' or 'Irish' because that's just stupid, and I would expect any actual Irish (as in, from Ireland) to hit me for making such statements.

Actual authentic Europeans from Europe should stand up for their nationalities and put and end to these imposters decended from traitors who abandoned their motherlands!

[Sosobra]

But it pisses me off when people call themselves "Irish" and have no idea about the country.

It's the same ****ers who funded the IRA for 30 years.

Morons who know nothing about the situation.

I'll give you that and amend what I said before , Ireland and any other countries with "Troubles" do have an influx of money from natives living abroad and not feeling the brunt of what their money does.

I think someone who is a 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation has the right to call themselves a -American, although it depends on how much of the old country
they hold on to.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Ask any American what he is and you'll get a response like "I'm German" or "I'm Scottish" etc based on what their ethnicity is. Now natural born citizens of these countries often dislike this.

Why? Wouldn't you think that the home nation of the millions of families in America would be proud to be remembered as the original homes of these family names?

Explica por favor.

Because you're not Irish, hicks.

[Farnan]

Let's hope The Man With No Name doesn't see this.

I will never say I'm Cherokee or any other American Indian group. I will however include it when listing all my ethnicities. I think on a census I would either put down French, German, or English (as those are my biggest groups). I will however talk about a distant ancestor as he was awesome and there is some pride to be related to. Just as people descended from Stonewall Jackson should be proud.

[King Edward III]

I detest it.

Like "I'm Irish".

NO, NO your not.

You know nothing of Ireland, just because your 1/16 Irish, that doesn't make you one.

Christ, there are more "Irish" people than there are Irish people.

HELL YES!

We 100% agree, for once

[Gary88]

Plastic paddies are the worst because for a long time people in Ireland were going through absolute **** which none of the people claiming to be irish had any idea about

As author Alex Massie wrote in The National Review:

When I was a student in Dublin we scoffed at the American celebration of St. Patrick, finding something preposterous in the green beer, the search for any connection, no matter how tenuous, to Ireland, the misty sentiment of it all that seemed so at odds with the Ireland we knew and actually lived in. Who were these people dressed as Leprechauns and why were they dressed that way? This Hibernian Brigadoon was a sham, a mockery, a Shamrockery of real Ireland and a remarkable exhibition of plastic paddyness. But at least it was confined to the Irish abroad and those foreigners desperate to find some trace of green in their blood.[3]

as for myself i just laugh when i hear it

i'm gaelic/scots-anglo-norse for anyone who is interested

[Lord Consul]

It does irritate me a lot when I see those Brazilian-Americans that hang around Boston complaining in the blogosphere that Brazilian music is dead, for two reasons:

1. They have never been here. As such, they have absolutely no idea about what is going on down here, musically speaking.

2. They don't speak a word of Portuguese. So, before spouting opinions over the net, they should actually understand the object of their criticism.

But, then again, that's just me.

[Khosson]

its funny because when you ask immigrants who get their citizenship, they are very proud to only identify themselves as americans. you never hear an immigrant say they are irish-american.

Exactly. I hate it when many of my colleagues identify them selfs as anything other than Romanian just because their parents happened to be on a holiday when they were born.

[Lusted]

Exactly. I hate it when many of my colleagues identify them selfs as anything other than Romanian just because their parents happened to be on a holiday when they were born.

Agreed, i could if i wanted to claim to be 1/8th Zimbabwean because my grandmother was born there, but that would be stupid as she had English parents.