Why do we have to have hyphenated Americans? It's divisive!

It seems to me, that the more Politically Correct we become, the more divided we become. The more we accentuate the differences the less we become what we have been. That is Americans! I don't choose to call myself a White-American, or a Russian-American, since my parents were both born in Russia and as children came here with their parents for a better life. I am an American and so are you. We have, and no offense intended, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans and Native Americans. I don't hear anyone saying they are Italian-Americans or Polish-Americans or British-American, French-American, ad-infinitum.

Why do we do this, except to cause the divisiveness that promulgates racism? I seem to recollect that when WW11 began we pulled together and proved how this wonderful nation can work together. On 9/12/2001 we all felt a pride in being Americans as we were shocked at had occurred the day before. Yet we soon forget that for 234 years America has led the world in showing what Freedom and Democracy can do.

This is a wonderful country and instead of finding our differences, IMHO, we should be finding our commonalities. END OF RANT!

[youtube:2lft0vhr][/youtube:2lft0vhr]

Some folks are proud of their heritage and include that when they decribe themselves. They are proud to be both american and another nationality. Other folks use hyphenated language in a derogatory way.

I proudly call myself a German-American. I don't think it is divisive. Many of the most patriotic Americans I know call themselves Italian-Americans or Mexican-Americans. I know they won't be joining the Italian or Mexican army if they declare war on the US.

I can understand the pride in your heritage, unfortunately since my parents escaped during the Bolshevik Revolution, I see nothing of that heritage to revere. I do value the old world values I was raised with and that is the direction I was leaning towards by bringing up this topic. If we thought of ourselves more as Americans, we might find where our common interests lie, protecting that American exceptionalism. I find that to be a simple way to get past the racism card being constantly thrown up as a diversion. Americans are all races, from all ethnic backgrounds, from all ways of life, yet together we have become the exception, not the rule.

We dwell too much on the differences, rather on what we all have in common. By labeling, we create stereotyping like that ridiculous IMO video just posted above.

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Then those of us who are felons can be called Felon-Americans. Numbers, government recognition, cases and identity. It's who we are...............

You might like this one?

[youtube:3f5mdvx5][/youtube:3f5mdvx5]

There was another video of this poem that contained many images of death and destuction and nazis and comies and death camps and riots and war and struggle. Check it out. I won't link it. Talk about devisive?

Some groups recommend dropping the hyphen because it implies to some people dual nationalism and inability to be accepted as truly American. The Japanese American Citizens League is supportive of dropping the hyphen because the non-hyphenated form uses their ancestral origin as an adjective for "American."

By contrast, other groups have embraced the hyphen, arguing that the American identity is compatible with alternative identities and that the mixture of identities within the United States strengthens the nation rather than weakens it. After all, it’s e pluribus unum, not simply “We are one.” Also, knowledge of ones heritage is fundamental to Civilized Society.

'European American,' as opposed to White, Caucasian, has been coined in response to the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S., as well as to this diversity moving more into the mainstream of the society in the latter half of the 20th century. The term distinguishes whites of European ancestry from those of other ancestries. In 1977, it was proposed that the term "European American" replace "white" as a racial label in the U.S. Census, although this was not done. The term "European American" is not in popular use in the U.S. among the general public or in the mass media, and the terms "white" or "white American" are commonly used instead.

If all people were TRULY treated equally, I might be slightly offended. Since that is not the case, I have no problem but would prefer " An American of *_____* descent". Not a thing wrong with advertising your heritage, just not at the expense of American patriotism. And just for perspective, these labels were GIVEN to divide Americans into categories to justify POLITICAL gerrymandering.

added: Native American is fine and doesn't need hyphenation.

Sorry Nmysys,

Good topic that got lost in the weeds...

If all people were TRULY treated equally, I might be slightly offended. Since that is not the case, I have no problem but would prefer " An American of *_____* descent". Not a thing wrong with advertising your heritage, just not at the expense of American patriotism. And just for perspective, these labels were GIVEN to divide Americans into categories to justify POLITICAL gerrymandering.

added: Native American is fine and doesn't need hyphenation.

Very well said!

Since we have North and South American continents, everyone from the northern most part of Canada to the Southern most part of South America is an "AMERICAN." If we really want to get technical, perhaps we who live in the United States are United Statesers, or USAers, or, perhaps, xenophobes.