NationStates Jolt Archive

Ever wondered why so many americans who are of european origin get pissed when you refer to them as "euro-americans"? I mean it' s apparently cool to say " afro-american" or " asian-american" or "native-american", but oh god, don' t remind the euro-americans of their european origin or they' ll cry you a river.

So, why do you think this is? Shame of their ancestors? :(

I've never encountered anyone who strongly objected to the term Euro-American... but hey... I've never used the term for anybody.

I dunno...I'm just wonder when do I become just an American. My family's been here since 1635, and people still want to divide me up according to my ancesters' countries of origin. Isn't being 13th Generation American enough?

P.S. Please don't tell me that 1635-2004 is nothing in comparrison to how long Native Americans were here, I realize that.

Ever wondered why so many americans who are of european origin get pissed when you refer to them as "euro-americans"? I mean it' s apparently cool to say " afro-american" or " asian-american" or "native-american", but oh god, don' t remind the euro-americans of their european origin or they' ll cry you a river.

So, why do you think this is? Shame of their ancestors? :(

Nothing is wrong with it and I ahve hever heard someone get pissed about the term, prolly because I never heard anyone use the term before.

Euro-American. Hmmm.... That's a new one on me.

Standard practice is to hyphenate the country-of-ancestry if it's a European country. Id est, Irish-American, Italian-American, German-American, and so on.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

Ever wondered why so many americans who are of european origin get pissed when you refer to them as "euro-americans"? I mean it' s apparently cool to say " afro-american" or " asian-american" or "native-american", but oh god, don' t remind the euro-americans of their european origin or they' ll cry you a river.

So, why do you think this is? Shame of their ancestors? :(

erm, I'm fine with being called euro-american, my ancestors have been in the same part of pennsylvania since the days of william penn - decidedly longer than the american political entity has been here, so it seems like there should be some better name for it, but whatever. I've never observed an american get upset when you point out that they're ethnically european...though there's plenty to be ashamed off. (Mine were quakers, we have records to prove it, pacifists who fought for social equality for the last 4 centuries...so I'm decidedly not ashamed of my ancestry. if there's a non-native american group who's been more mature as a group I certainly haven't heard of it)

Ever wondered why so many americans who are of european origin get pissed when you refer to them as "euro-americans"? I mean it' s apparently cool to say " afro-american" or " asian-american" or "native-american", but oh god, don' t remind the euro-americans of their european origin or they' ll cry you a river.

So, why do you think this is? Shame of their ancestors? :(


"Euro-Americans"..?

Isn't Europe just a peninsula of that big landmass bordered by the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Mediterranean, and Indian oceans..?

But that's simply a nit'picking point...

"Euro-American" sounds as strange to an American as "Euro-Spaniard" would sound to a denizen of España.

Americans consider their culture to BE european.

Irish-American, on the other hand, is actually descriptive of something meaningful.

( Yes,.. I am American. )

They probably get pissed because euro-american has a negative connection. Like, "oh, you're euro-american while i'm american." It has no purpose except to differentiate real Amrerican from euro-american.

Just a thought

I dunno...I'm just wonder when do I become just an American. My family's been here since 1635, and people still want to divide me up according to my ancesters' countries of origin. Isn't being 13th Generation American enough?


Yeah, why is everybody over there so fixated about where everyone's folks came from? Isn't being there enough or what?

Theres nothing wrong people need to lighten up, you should be able to call blacks blacks not african americans cause its wayyyyyy to long. I dont care if you call me white or cracka.

Really theres no such thing as african american if your american your american. I dont get pissed when people dont call me half-irish-half-italian-american.

Next time someone gets pissed at somethign like taht im gonna ask them to refer to me as basically-half-irish-and-half-italian-but-really-theres-a-mix-of-lithuanian-polish-swedish-german-scottish-and-russian-and-maybe-something-else-i-dont-know. Am I making a point?? people need to lighten up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bret_hitman_hart/TrevorRichards.jpg

Ever wondered why so many americans who are of european origin get pissed when you refer to them as "euro-americans"? I mean it' s apparently cool to say " afro-american" or " asian-american" or "native-american", but oh god, don' t remind the euro-americans of their european origin or they' ll cry you a river.

So, why do you think this is? Shame of their ancestors? :(

They don't like it because it sounds stupid. I'm serious, it does. And I've actually heard of African-Americans (not "afro", that's a hairstyle) wanting to be called black and getting offended if you call them otherwise.

Maybe we just don't like labels...they are pretty stupid.

When I was in the USAF and attending the usual "social sensitivity" :rolleyes: training, I was with a guy who was born in Kenya and lived a good part of his life there. He was white. When the instructor, who, like 99% of the "social sensitivity" instructors was black asked who in the class considered themselves "African-American" all the blacks stood up and so did this white fellow. A near riot broke out of course....and even the instructor said he was wrong. So he informed them of his place of birth and asked if ANY of those in the class had even BEEN to Africa. None had of course. So he stated that he was more African than anyone else in the room.

If I had to have a label, I guess it would be "Indo-European-American." Sounds silly, doesn't it?

Maybe 'euro-americans' don't want to be reminded that they come from a farce which is nothing more than a buerucratic, penpusher's paradise.
However, I am English and don't cosider myself a european, so maybe these particular americans regard themselves as from a country rather than a collection... (or something)

When I need to reference to someone, they're all either white, black, Asian, Indian, or natives. Saves me a lot of trouble.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/bret_hitman_hart/TrevorRichards.jpg

heh, that was amusing

Maybe 'euro-americans' don't want to be reminded that they come from a farce which is nothing more than a buerucratic, penpusher's paradise.
However, I am English and don't cosider myself a european, so maybe these particular americans regard themselves as from a country rather than a collection... (or something)


OK,... that comment needs some explanation.

"Come from a FARSE.."...?! What is that supposed to mean..?

Vague disparagement of either "Euro's" or "Americans" is not overly nice or, in fact, very helpful. Comments like this tell more about the (usually unhelpful and arrogant) mindset of the commentor, than anything else.

I'm certainly not going to make broad generalizations about all Brits based on this short shrifted superficial, and highly un-inciteful, comment.

Please explain your thinking... :)

ive never heard anyone use the term euro american
it sorta sounds monetary

most people want to be more specific, so they are italian american or francoamerican, etc

african americans are called that because the political units that existed when their ancestors "emigrated" dont exist anymore. they were all redrawn by colonialism.

ive never heard anyone use the term euro american
it sorta sounds monetary

most people want to be more specific, so they are italian american or francoamerican, etc

african americans are called that because the political units that existed when their ancestors "emigrated" dont exist anymore. they were all redrawn by colonialism.

So would the term euopean-american be applicable for someone from the soviet union or yugoslavia or chekoslovakia (apologise spelling)

So would the term euopean-american be applicable for someone from the soviet union or yugoslavia or chekoslovakia (apologise spelling)

Maybe "Slavic-American?"

Maybe "Slavic-American?"

would that be ok? as the other terms refer to regions and not a racial group. also not all of them would be slavic, etc...

When I need to reference to someone, they're all either white, black, Asian, Indian, or natives. Saves me a lot of trouble.
So you never reference Arabs?

and why are there 'American Indians' but no 'Canadian Indians'?

It's amazing how many people are scared of Adjectives ...

:rolleyes:

and why are there 'American Indians' but no 'Canadian Indians'?

Why are the black olives always in a can and the green olives in a jar?

Why is the brown rice always called wild?

Why is something that is funny that isn't supposed to be called black comedy?

Why is a bad mark always called a black mark on a record?

You lot need to get out a lot more.

Who really cares what you are or where you come from.


Now this is a better debate.

Were Joseph and Mary brother and sister, and were they sent away because the parents couldnt cope with the embarrasment.

Immaculate my ass

You lot need to get out a lot more.

Who really cares what you are or where you come from.


Now this is a better debate.

Were Joseph and Mary brother and sister, and were they sent away because the parents couldnt cope with the embarrasment.

Immaculate my ass


D'OH..!

:)

So you never reference Arabs?
I've never met one.

Next time someone gets pissed at somethign like taht im gonna ask them to refer to me as basically-half-irish-and-half-italian-but-really-theres-a-mix-of-lithuanian-polish-swedish-german-scottish-and-russian-and-maybe-something-else-i-dont-know. Am I making a point?? people need to lighten up.

Yeah, my technical classification would be quarter-irish-quarter-german-and-half-scandinavian-slash-british-slash-other-miscellaneous-european-heritage-with-a-sliver-of-cherokee-in-there-somewhere

I really don't see why anybody still cares.

OK,... that comment needs some explanation.

"Come from a FARSE.."...?! What is that supposed to mean..?

Vague disparagement of either "Euro's" or "Americans" is not overly nice or, in fact, very helpful. Comments like this tell more about the (usually unhelpful and arrogant) mindset of the commentor, than anything else.

I'm certainly not going to make broad generalizations about all Brits based on this short shrifted superficial, and highly un-inciteful, comment.

Please explain your thinking... :)


WHERE did you get the idea I was being in anyway disrespectful of either Europe or America? In my opinion I don't like the whole Europe idea. I have read situations where Brussels, (Europe HQ) want to have control over most if not all of member nation's policies, i.e they decide on our taxes, immigration, law etc instead of us. That way, Europe becomes a superstate.

Maybe I haven't explained myself properly. There is no disparagement in my comments, nor do I intend to make any. I like America, all I am saying is that MAYBE some 'Euro-Americans' don't like to be assosiated with Europe 'cos it is not very nice.