Hyphenated Americans really piss me off

[Dennis1]

Well said

 

[shrap]

Oh the more we get together... together, together.
Oh, the more we get together the happier we'll be.

For your friends are my friends, and my friends are your friends.
Oh, the more we get together, the happier we'll be!

 

[chibicricket]

I think it's great to show our diversity with hyphanting our cultures. I'm the 3rd generation of Sicilian/Polish immigrants, and I consider myself a Sicilian American and a Polish American. I'm proud of my old country heritage and I don't see what's wrong with that. My grandparents came to this country barely knowing any english, but they learned very quickly so they could fit in. My grandfather fought in WWII, and so did my grandmother's 2 brothers. My grandmother, her sisters and sister-in law, didn't fight in the war, but they were the women in the factories painting fighter planes during the war. My grandmother also took in widows from that war into her home until they could get back on their feet again. And my father fought in Vietnam, as did his cousins. What I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter if you are a hyphanated american or not to be a good american. I'm glad I can say that I'm a Polish-Sicilian-American, because it's a mixture of cultures that makes America what it is.

 

[Junkyard]

I am a little late in this, but this is too fascinating for me to pass up a comment. I live in So California, I have many ancestors from all over, I am a part of many cultures, bringing them all together is what really makes America what it is. This is a very blessed country, bring what you have and share it with us, be one of us and participate in all of our differences. Call yourself an American, this is the only country where you can do that.

I am as white as it gets, but my heritage is something a little different. My ancestors consist of the Choctaw Indians and the French (though it is believed the French side moved too Ireland and remained their for centuries before coming to the America). To get to America, my ancestor was a stow away on the last Mayflower voyage here to America. The other side of my family is believed to be English.

I grew up near Compton, my local school was 60% hispanic, 20% black, 10% white, and %10 Asian and other races. In this culture of mine I did not fit in, I lived in a nonwhite city, though it was known for being the "Rich White City". My friends growing up were of every race. I have never looked at someone and thought "you should know more about China because you are Chinese or you should know more about Africa because you are African" These are ridiculous comments being where I am from.

Here is does not matter where you are from, what matters is what your purposes are. Have I dealt with racism? Yes most definitely, mainly from my own father who has it in his mind he is better than God. To argue for your place in America with a hyphenation is a waste of breath in my mind.

When the Twin Towers were hit, I did not see only the "white" neighbors put up the American Flag on their homes. I saw all my neighbors of every race put up that flag, as I looked down the street I do not know what culture lies behind the doors, I saw the American Flag. I saw those who cherish this country so much for all the rights and liberties we have that they did support my fellow Americans who were killed that day. Beliefs were put aside and changes took place, differences between politics did not matter. Today do we stand around and say "I am only an American if someone asks me if I am." Or do we hold are heads up and say "I am an American"

Terrorists are fighting right now against their own brothers in the military who have come here to America to be free. They want to spread that freedom, so they joined the military and are fighting back. I live in a military based society now, races are respected for fighting for the rights and liberties of America. I have good friends that are from Iraq, they grew up there, I have asked them their thoughts on America. They do not say I am an Iraq-American, they will look you in the eye and say they are an American. I cherish those conversations because they know how lucky they truly are to be here. I have a good friend from Nigeria, ask him if he is an American he will say yes, he does not say he is an African-American, he lives here and he is an American, when he goes to Africa he is an African. I have another friend from South Africa who is whiter than me, she is difficult to understand because of her accent, she will tell you she lived in South Africa her entire life until she married some man from America, she lives here now and is an American.

I guess I have surrounded myself with patriotic people. I will even tell you about my mentor from Mexico, he came here, learned English and received his citizenship. He will not speak Spanish to those who know English, he finds it a disgrace when the kids around here try to speak to him in English, if they try Spanglish than he really gets upset. When he is in Mexico he will speak only Spanish, when he is in Mexico he will tell anyone there he is an American. He is the most patriotic man I am pleased to know and learn from, he has taught me more about being and American than my own father. To him I am grateful and pleased to say:

I am an American!