Hyphenated-Americans

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?

I'm not encouraging people to hyphenate, I'm just saying its totally understandable why some people would WANT to, it was a reply to those saying "hyphenating is stupid, I don't get it".

Also, look at all the white people (assuming by their profile pictures) going o and on about how it "doesn't matter" etc. This attitude of "I'm white, racism doesn't affect me, so why should I care? I'm gonna pretend racism doesn't exist, and that makes me a good, non-racist person" is what is troubling. On the one hand, yes it great that we want to live in a racism-free world, that is what we want. But denying the racism exists, that heritage and the labels just don't matter, is reallly insulting to those for whom their identity IS a part of their daily life, those who are systematically discrimminated because of it, those who are attacked because of it, those who feel excluded because of it. It doesn't address the issue, it just allows racism to go on without anyone taking notice of it.

^^^^^^This! It is utterly amazing to me the blatant disregard for the import of cultural background to others. It is self-centered to think that the only experience that counts is your own. My experience as a Black (or African-American, I'm not particular about the terms....just not colored, negro or n-word) person MATTERS to me AND it is different from that of other groups. Don't discount it!!!!

Also, look at all the white people (assuming by their profile pictures) going o and on about how it "doesn't matter" etc. This attitude of "I'm white, racism doesn't affect me, so why should I care? I'm gonna pretend racism doesn't exist, and that makes me a good, non-racist person" is what is troubling.

Not all "white" people have that mentality. I don't even know any "white" people who think that way. I know that racism exists. I've seen it affect my friends and I have also experienced it. In all reality, I don't think I'll see the death of racism in my life time. I can only hope that people will eventually grow up and realize that although we are all different on the outside, we are all the same on the inside.