Hyphenated-Americans
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I think it is generally useless to hyphenate - I never do it unless it is somewhat meaningful, ie, on St Patrick's Day or at an Irish Festival I may disclose I'm an "Irish-American". Otherwise, I'm not sure anyone really cares. (I'm an American)0
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Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.0 -
Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.0 -
Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.
are you saying that we evolved somewhere else or that humanity evolved in several locations independent of each other?
its been a while since i read anything but at the time the theory was humanity and civilization evolved out of Africa.0 -
Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.
are you saying that we evolved somewhere else or that humanity evolved in several locations independent of each other?
its been a while since i read anything but at the time the theory was humanity and civilization evolved out of Africa.
Bolded the important part for you.
Just like I stated earlier, if you haven't done any genealogical research, then any claims to ethnicity is going to be theoretical anyway, regardless if you are white, black, brown, purple, or green!0 -
Hey, Just wanted to share a quick story. Its a military story, from the Facebook page "Awesome S(tuff) my Drill Sergeant Said" Mike
FT Eustis, VA - AVN AIT 1993
I am not going to bore you with any of the HOOAH stories I have, because they are not going to measure up to the suck you went through. FT. Jackson BCT and FT. Eustis AIT don't exactly scream 'PAIN!!!!!!". Instead, I have chosen to share one of the life lessons that I picked up one afternoon during DS Time. It is a nugget of knowledge that I have reflected upon many times in the years since.
DS K was (and hopefully still is) a man of small stature. Most that were trained by him thought he had some 'short guy' issues, but I think he used his height as a tool to smoke the hell out of anyone that dared look down from the position of attention or parade rest. It was a riot to watch him smoke someone for making eye contact.
Anyhow, one afternoon we are in DS Time. He begins with 'How many African-Americans do I have in here?' Hands go up. He tells them to keep their hands up.
'How many Mexican- Americans or Latin-Americans do I have in here?' More hands go up. Same deal, he tells them to keep their hands up.
'How many European-Americans do I have in here?' A couple of white guys raise their hands.
He has those of us with our hands down fall out to the bleachers on the PT field, and has those with their hands up to fall in on the PT field.
Open ranks...You know the rest of the drill.
He smoked them for the remaining 50 minutes of DS Time while explaining to them in the nurturing way that only a DS can that we are all Americans regardless of our heritage, and that hyphenating is not only pointless, it is dangerous.
DH is ex-Marine Corp.
There are no atheists in foxholes...I think the context again is the distinction here.0 -
OP, I'm with you! I think it's time to put all that hyphenated crap behind us. :drinker:0
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Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.
are you saying that we evolved somewhere else or that humanity evolved in several locations independent of each other?
its been a while since i read anything but at the time the theory was humanity and civilization evolved out of Africa.
Bolded the important part for you.
Just like I stated earlier, if you haven't done any genealogical research, then any claims to ethnicity is going to be theoretical anyway, regardless if you are white, black, brown, purple, or green!
unless something has changed(and clearly you have no info on the matter) im going to stick with what most scientists say and continue to state we all came out of Africa.0 -
I'm Canadian. We hardly ever hyphenate because nobody gives a .... spit. You can be Black/Asian/White/First Nations and it doesn't make you any less Canadian.
And since Canada is a relatively new country it is pretty much assumed that (almost) everyone came here from somewhere else along the way. So when my S-I-L refers to her family as Italian or when I attend a Chinese or Indian wedding I look at it as a celebration of cultural traditions rather than a repudiation of someone's Canadian citizenship.
(And the country of Canada is younger than the Emancipation Proclamation to the South so we don't have that history of slavery and oppression so being black up here isn't really a big deal either.)
Also, more and more, people are hardly ever "pure" anything. Lots of mixed race relationships and children creating an even richer and more diverse mix of Canadians. My kids don't even notice ethnicity as a differentiating factor. If I were to ask them about the ethnic background of one of their friends they would give me a "huh?" because to them the question is stupid. It just doesn't register as interesting in their minds.
Like I said, up here no one gives a......you know.
I wonder which part of Canada you're from....
Not what you mean about Canada not having slaves.... of course we did.
Thats the biggest difference between the US and Canada... the US is obsessed with race, and racism is just "out there" in the open, sometimes blatant and unashamed. In Canada we pretend to live in la-la-land like race doesn't matter and totally deny there is any racism, because we keep it behind closed doors. We're really fooling ourselves. Of course there is racism in Canada, of course we have a very racist past. Of course race and heritage matters here.
i'm thinking barrie. or red deer. heck, anywhere outside the 5 actual cities we have. canada is super racist, just polite about it.
BUT i'm so grateful for the little pockets of understanding we do have, which are a relief from everywhere else (ie in the world. the whole world except for 12 city blocks is racist).0 -
ok, well i don't think hyphenating is stupid.
if your white, your prob not getting discriminated against very much, and in the eyes of almost everyone, which part of europe your from doesn't matter.
but america is very racist, race matters. your race and heritage is a huge part of your identity. i think it's very understandable that many visible minorities would want to hyphenate.
^^ Very prejudiced statement to make.
0 -
Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.
are you saying that we evolved somewhere else or that humanity evolved in several locations independent of each other?
its been a while since i read anything but at the time the theory was humanity and civilization evolved out of Africa.
Bolded the important part for you.
Just like I stated earlier, if you haven't done any genealogical research, then any claims to ethnicity is going to be theoretical anyway, regardless if you are white, black, brown, purple, or green!
unless something has changed(and clearly you have no info on the matter) im going to stick with what most scientists say and continue to state we all came out of Africa.
Wow! Huge assumption to think I have no info on the matter. The only statement that I made was that the earliest evidence that they found came out of Africa... that is a fact and that is what science states.0 -
Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.
are you saying that we evolved somewhere else or that humanity evolved in several locations independent of each other?
its been a while since i read anything but at the time the theory was humanity and civilization evolved out of Africa.
Bolded the important part for you.
Just like I stated earlier, if you haven't done any genealogical research, then any claims to ethnicity is going to be theoretical anyway, regardless if you are white, black, brown, purple, or green!
Oh boy.
I have a degree in anthropology and biology, I think I know a thing or two about human evolution. I'm not in the mood to explain basic science to strangers on the internet, I'll just tell you that anthropologists now generally agree in the Out of Africa hypothesis, the evidence supports it.0 -
I think hyphenated America is ignorant.
I am not Anglo-Saxon-Native-American-American
I am not Cherokee-French-Canadian-Scot-Irish-American
I am American.
Me and my husband have this argument often. He swears he is Mexican. I keep telling him he can't be Mexican if he was born in Texas.
Hahaha... I have a friend that is of Mexican descent... and when you ask "where is he from" he will say "Texas"... that's it. That's his "ethnicity"... Texan.0 -
Africans were brought to the Americas and the Caribean since the begining of European Colonialism, it wasn't that long ago. Colonialism is still very relevant, in fact, it's the reason for this ENTIRE CONVERSATION. We wouldn't be talking about hyphenation at all if it wasn't for our recent colonial experience.
The first modern humans leaving Africa roughly 150,000 years ago, not relevant.
how is that not relevant? thats where we are all from.
Just because the earliest resemblance of a human fossil was found in Africa, doesn't mean that is the only place where they existed at that time. It just means that conditions there were best for the preservation of 150,000 year old skull.
are you saying that we evolved somewhere else or that humanity evolved in several locations independent of each other?
its been a while since i read anything but at the time the theory was humanity and civilization evolved out of Africa.
Bolded the important part for you.
Just like I stated earlier, if you haven't done any genealogical research, then any claims to ethnicity is going to be theoretical anyway, regardless if you are white, black, brown, purple, or green!
Oh boy.
I have a degree in anthropology and biology, I think I know a thing or two about human evolution. I'm not in the mood to explain basic science to strangers on the internet, I'll just tell you that anthropologists now generally agree in the Out of Africa hypothesis, the evidence supports it.
Again...
The only statement that I made was that the earliest evidence that they found came out of Africa... that is a fact and that is what science states.
What is "accepted" is only true until someone proves differently.0 -
ok, well i don't think hyphenating is stupid.
if your white, your prob not getting discriminated against very much, and in the eyes of almost everyone, which part of europe your from doesn't matter.
but america is very racist, race matters. your race and heritage is a huge part of your identity. i think it's very understandable that many visible minorities would want to hyphenate.
^^ Very prejudiced statement to make.
I don't want to hyphenate. I'm a visible minority, I just want to say American or better yet, not be asked on paper EVER and in person seldom only if it mattered like I were dying the ambulance came and it had something to do with odds of blood type or some *kitten* like that, otherwise just stare at my brown *kitten* all you want but leave me the hell alone.0 -
Good afternoon everyone,
I'm in school. Currently taking a composition class. Our class project is to write a research paper. I would love to get the opinions of as many of you as I can. Here is the topic:
Mixed racial and cultural groups are growing in the United States. Should each group expect to be treated as a separate entity, or should residents of the United States be considered Americans without the hyphen?
I'm American. The politically correct term for me would be "African-American". However, personally, I have never done my ancestry on my father's side to know exactly if we are "Black" or of "African" descent. But I do know that my mother is White and Cherokee. Thus, leading me to review my thoughts on this and say so, I'm White-Cherokee-African-American? That seems a bit much for my tastes.
I don't identify with either side of my heritage more than the other. I have a friend who, before we were friends and had only spoken on the phone, said she was really shocked when she saw me for the first time. She said by the way I speak, "proper", she would have never guessed I was "Black". And our on-going joke is "Really? I don't know what gave you the impression that I'm Black. I think it's my lovely tan."
Anyway, my first question is American the only hyphenated country? Do the British say "African-British" or "Indian-British" or the Africans say "American-African" or "British-African"? You follow me on this?
Secondly, what is your take? If you wish you can inbox me or post it here. Please tell me the country you are in and/or your nationality if you wish to share it.
Thanks for your input. Have a healthy day!
Namaste,
Nika
I'm no expert, but I'd say your original post showed GREAT composition! Very readable, intelligible. Concepts around the topic were coherent and flowed well!
Signed,
IT-Science-Not-an-English-major-American.0 -
Good afternoon everyone,
I'm in school. Currently taking a composition class. Our class project is to write a research paper. I would love to get the opinions of as many of you as I can. Here is the topic:
Mixed racial and cultural groups are growing in the United States. Should each group expect to be treated as a separate entity, or should residents of the United States be considered Americans without the hyphen?
I'm American. The politically correct term for me would be "African-American". However, personally, I have never done my ancestry on my father's side to know exactly if we are "Black" or of "African" descent. But I do know that my mother is White and Cherokee. Thus, leading me to review my thoughts on this and say so, I'm White-Cherokee-African-American? That seems a bit much for my tastes.
I don't identify with either side of my heritage more than the other. I have a friend who, before we were friends and had only spoken on the phone, said she was really shocked when she saw me for the first time. She said by the way I speak, "proper", she would have never guessed I was "Black". And our on-going joke is "Really? I don't know what gave you the impression that I'm Black. I think it's my lovely tan."
Anyway, my first question is American the only hyphenated country? Do the British say "African-British" or "Indian-British" or the Africans say "American-African" or "British-African"? You follow me on this?
Secondly, what is your take? If you wish you can inbox me or post it here. Please tell me the country you are in and/or your nationality if you wish to share it.
Thanks for your input. Have a healthy day!
Namaste,
Nika
I don't think those labels or hyphenated names came about from people's expectation's to be called something like that. I think they came about from "other" people's desire to sort and classify people for whatever reason. The person themselves IMO and in my experience rarely walks around on a daily basis wanting to "claim" all these ethnicities or bloodlines. In my experience those who's physical appearance allows them to blend in with the visual image of an American are the first to shed those nitpicky labels and comfortably refer to themselves as simply "American". It's those who's physical features leave the other person with this face :frown: :huh: during a conversation when referring to themselves as American who have to struggle to find which category they fall under.
Omygod YEES. :drinker:
It's not something that I particularly want to identify as per se. Again, the term Afro-Trinidadian is new to me (learned that one a couple of years ago as well). There were many race related conflicts in the 70's in T&T and to this day still. The reluctance to be included in the 'Trini' identity because I am not dark enough & have straight hair (and my daughter who appears white) not to be included as well is not my own.
An exchange between my auntie and mom overheard while I was a teen getting ready to go out on a Saturday night....
Auntie: whey she tink she goin'?
Mom: she go hangin OUT in de street wit boi...She yankeee nah. :huh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
ok, well i don't think hyphenating is stupid.
if your white, your prob not getting discriminated against very much, and in the eyes of almost everyone, which part of europe your from doesn't matter.
but america is very racist, race matters. your race and heritage is a huge part of your identity. i think it's very understandable that many visible minorities would want to hyphenate.
And presumably labelling people of Caribbean descent who can go back many generations of ancestors who've never been anywhere near Africa as "African-Americans" because they're black and consequently might be African so we'll just make that assumption is a valid solution against racism?
I don't understand your point. I didn't say it was a "solution" to racism, I said since racism is so pervasive, a person of visible minority may understandably make their heritage part of their ancestry, since they are gonna be judged by it every day anyway. Not that much of a stretch lol.
Also, still not getting why people are making a distinction between being Black and having African ancestors. Do people not realize that all Black people have African ancestors?
So we are all racists, and there is no solution, so let's maintain racial prejudices in our language? Is that really what you are trying to say?0 -
I'm pretty much everything. English, Scottish, German, Turkish, Japanese, Cherokee, Portuguese, Egyptian, Swedish.. And i was technically born in America. Kentucky. But I don't consider myself American, or any of these. I simply consider myself "me". There is no name for what i am. :laugh:0
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Ethnicity is really only important to census-takers and policy-makers.
To the world, you're just American.
Oh if only that were true :drinker:
As in this has not been my experience.0
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