Question about heritage/ethnicity

[zoe08]

Cultural Dictionary
ethnicity [(eth- nis -uh-tee)]

Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language.


World English Dictionary
heritage (***712;h***603;r***618;t***618;d***658;)

***8212; n
1. something inherited at birth, such as personal characteristics, status, and possessions
2. anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition

Those are the definitions I found, I think it is a bit confusing using those words.

However as for what you "call" yourself. IMO, f you are born in America you are American, if you are born in Germany, you are German (excluding cases such as being born to a military family stationed in another country.) If you are German, and you move to America and become a citizen here, you are then German-American.

[Pops2]

Milo's Mommy
lets say you just met Fernando Obregon from monterrey mexico, what is his ethnicity?

[Samantha's pet]

Originally Posted by zoe08

Cultural Dictionary
ethnicity [(eth- nis -uh-tee)]

Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language.


World English Dictionary
heritage (***712;h***603;r***618;t***618;d***658;)

— n
1. something inherited at birth, such as personal characteristics, status, and possessions
2. anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition

Those are the definitions I found, I think it is a bit confusing using those words.

However as for what you "call" yourself. IMO, f you are born in America you are American, if you are born in Germany, you are German (excluding cases such as being born to a military family stationed in another country.) If you are German, and you move to America and become a citizen here, you are then German-American.

If you are ethnically German and were born in the States and never lived there you could still be German-American. People who are ethnically African but have never been to Africa are considered African-American.

[zoe08]

Originally Posted by Samantha's pet

If you are ethnically German and were born in the States and never lived there you could still be German-American. People who are ethnically African but have never been to Africa are considered African-American.

I honestly do not understand them being called "African American" when their family has been here for just as many generations, if not more than mine has. Because I am white, I am just American, I'm not considered European American, but because they have darker skin somehow it is important for them to keep the African in front of American? I believe it came about as a PC term, but I do not believe it is accurate. Especially since everyone says they want EQUALITY. Equality is not spewing on about how you are "African American" when you have never been to Africa, neither have your parents, or your grand parents, or great grandparents. If you want equality, than be an American, like everyone else. If you were born in Africa, then came to America and became a citizen, by all means you are an African American. But the color of your skin does not make you "African" any more than speaking French makes me French.

[AllieMackie]

Originally Posted by JessLough

I'm not sure what you mean by to you they are different, as they are different by definition.

The place where you were born, be it Canada, the US, Australia, whatever.. Determines your heritage. For example, I'm Canadian.

Your ethnicity has to do more with your culture and language. For example, my mom is French Canadian.

Your heritage has to do with where your ancestors are from. For example, I have ancestors from Ireland and Scotland mainly.

Very much this.

I get really annoyed when people call me Scottish. I've never set foot in Scotland (though it's on my bucket list, LOL).

I'm third-generation Canadian with Scottish ancestry. In your friend's case, MM, the ancestry would be where the grandfather was born and who his ancestors were.

[Greenmagick]

Originally Posted by zoe08

I honestly do not understand them being called "African American" when their family has been here for just as many generations, if not more than mine has. Because I am white, I am just American, I'm not considered European American, but because they have darker skin somehow it is important for them to keep the African in front of American? I believe it came about as a PC term, but I do not believe it is accurate. Especially since everyone says they want EQUALITY. Equality is not spewing on about how you are "African American" when you have never been to Africa, neither have your parents, or your grand parents, or great grandparents. If you want equality, than be an American, like everyone else. If you were born in Africa, then came to America and became a citizen, by all means you are an African American. But the color of your skin does not make you "African" any more than speaking French makes me French.

uhm wow, just wow

Yeah, the term came about as more PC because WHITES kept separating them out in much less "pc" terms

The term european american is not normally used because we are the majority and its implied. I understand that in a perfect world color and race wouldnt matter, but sadly, it is not a perfect world and it does.

[Greenmagick]

I can say there are still a lot of people around here who identify as Italian-American, Irish-American, etc even though there families have been here for generations. I don't know why people get all bothered by how someone else labels themselves or identifies themselves. America is still a young country and full of many different people from many backgrounds. If some want to hold on to it longer or use a label to hold a piece of their heritage so what?

[Romy]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

uhm wow, just wow

Yeah, the term came about as more PC because WHITES kept separating them out in much less "pc" terms

The term european american is not normally used because we are the majority and its implied. I understand that in a perfect world color and race wouldnt matter, but sadly, it is not a perfect world and it does.

This. It's not a self identification based on skin color as plenty of brown people in North America aren't of African descent, and plenty of people with African ancestors are pretty light skinned. It based on the fact that their ancestors were brought here from Africa.

The reason caucasian Americans don't typically self identify as "European American" is because most have the luxury of being able to trace their ancestry to country of origin, or retain direct links to their ancestral land. I look at my family and we're still participating "members" of the same family clan that's been around for over 2,000 years.

A lot of people of African descent living in North America don't have that luxury. Their ancestors were brought here, they were forced to learn whatever language their master wanted to them speak and not allowed to practice family or cultural customs. They weren't allowed to teach them or pass them down to their descendents. If they had, you'd probably see a lot more people identifying themselves with a specific tribe or geographic area their ancestors came from. If things were reversed and Europeans were brought to Africa in slavery and their culture forcibly erased, you'd probably have people calling themselves European Africans.

[zoe08]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

I can say there are still a lot of people around here who identify as Italian-American, Irish-American, etc even though there families have been here for generations. I don't know why people get all bothered by how someone else labels themselves or identifies themselves. America is still a young country and full of many different people from many backgrounds. If some want to hold on to it longer or use a label to hold a piece of their heritage so what?

It is one thing, if they actually, study and practice the things from their culture, but to use it just to get special treatment, scholarships, etc....and then complain about wanting equality....sorry, that bothers me.

It is crazy how people say that it's racist to say that people shouldn't get special scholarships, or whatever because of their color, yet at the same time they sit there and say they want equality. The same people who are all pro-gay marriage for equality, are the exact same people who tell me that I shouldn't be allowed to adopt a black baby or child, because I am white. So hypocritical. If you want to be EQUAL be EQUAL. If you want special treatment, quit asking for EQUALITY! The same people who say that we should be striving for equality, are the same ones that keep saying that race DOES matter.

[Southpaw]

I would certainly not say I am French or part French or whatever, if French was not actually in my blood. If I had a great-grandparent that simply lived there for a period of time... that does not make me French.

I don't identify at all with where my family came from, though. I was born in America. I am American. If anyone asked me where my family came from sure I could name a couple countries, but it's not like we just arrived here yesterday and I have never even visited those other countries, so I'm not going to right off the bat tell people "I am Polish and Slovakian and Italian...." Nope, I'm just American. And even if I moved to a different country, I don't think I would ever adopt their label, I'd just be an American who is a citizen of country X.