Does identifying as a hyphenated American divide people?

[ShyGuyInChicago]

What are your thoughts? If people were to simply identify as Americans will there be less racism?

[steve1234]

It could probably help, although people who are proud of their roots might consider it racist to have to consider themselves just American.

In the UK, a lot of the Asian population call themselves British Asian, and are proud to call themselves both British and Asian.

In my opinion, those who have 'foreign' backgrounds should be proud of the country they live in, and the country they have roots in.

[Jess]

I don't mind being called Chinese-American.....I agree with Steve too

[ShyGuyInChicago]

I don't mind being called Chinese-American.....I agree with Steve too

How would you respond to people who say that if one person is born in America they can only be American?

[Azunite]

That would be bullshit.
Remember what did Uncle Sam said:
"This is a free country! America is a place where cultures meet, anger is gone and everybody loves each other ! Everybody is together and everybody is an American!"

[Amnesiac]

What are your thoughts? If people were to simply identify as Americans will there be less racism?

I don't see how that would affect racism, you can always tell the race of a person by just looking at them anyway. If we called all people "American", what difference would be made?

[ShyGuyInChicago]

I don't see how that would affect racism, you can always tell the race of a person by just looking at them anyway. If we called all people "American", what difference would be made?

What about less discrimination on the basis of ethnic groups such as Irish, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Polish, etc.

[Amnesiac]

What about less discrimination on the basis of ethnic groups such as Irish, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Polish, etc.

It doesn't really matter what we call people, we can still see them.

The only way to eradicate discrimination is here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagism)

[ShyGuyInChicago]

It doesn't really matter what we call people, we can still see them.

The only way to eradicate discrimination is here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagism)

I see that. Anyway, out of curiosity do you think it is odd or even for someone to identify themselves based on the country or countries that their ancestors came from rather than the country they were born and raised in and have citizenship of?

[Amnesiac]

I see that. Anyway, out of curiosity do you think it is odd or even for someone to identify themselves based on the country or countries that their ancestors came from rather than the country they were born and raised in and have citizenship of?

No, I don't find it odd. A person's ancestry makes up a big part of their overall personality and appearance. It has a significant impact on the way they live.

[huginnmuninn]

i think that it should be used to described only where ones ancestors come from but not what a persons race is because we could all be considered african-american ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recent_African_origin_of_modern_humans ) but we are not all black