Do hyphenated-Americans contribute to racism?

[Delta4Embassy]

Do terms like African-American, Asian-American, Muslim-American, etc. contribute to racism? I believe they do. Rather than making people out to be something other than a regular ol' "American" hyphenated forms seem to highlight how they're somehow different. Only time you should hyphenate yourself is if you have dual citizenship. But unless an African-American is also a citizen of an African country, or is a naturalized American citizen born elsewhere, just say you're "American." All well and good to be proud of your ancestry, but there are other ways to do that.

 

[Asclepias]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

 

[BillyP]

They separate everyone into categories of color and race. So yes, it contributes to racism by pointing out all the differences. We're all Americans, that's it. If you're for example, of Irish descent, you'd be an American of Irish descent, not an Irish-American, that's idiotic.

 

[BillyP]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

 

[Rotagilla]

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

 

[Asclepias]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

I agree. What makes you think I believed I live in Africa?

 

[Asclepias]

They separate everyone into categories of color and race. So yes, it contributes to racism by pointing out all the differences. We're all Americans, that's it. If you're for example, of Irish descent, you'd be an American of Irish descent, not an Irish-American, that's idiotic.

Pointing out differences should not produce racists. I maintain that you have a personal problem if you take issue with me calling myself an African-American. Africa is where my ancestors came from. America is where I live.

 

[Asclepias]

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

There are Italian, Irish, Greek, Ukranian, etc American groups and societies. Once again you make yourself look illiterate with your posts.

You had all those perks for 350 years. Stop whining about the attempt to make the playing field level. You sound like a little pansy.

 

[BillyP]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

I agree. What makes you think I believed I live in Africa?

I'm not saying that you live in Africa, what I'm saying is that you're not of African nationality so it's not right to put that on the same level as your nationality, which is American. And not all blacks in the US are from Africa, so it's not even a correct term.

 

[Asclepias]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

I agree. What makes you think I believed I live in Africa?

I'm not saying that you live in Africa, what I'm saying is that you're not of African nationality so it's not right to put that on the same level as your nationality, which is American. And not all blacks in the US are from Africa, so it's not even a correct term.

Who told you its not right? Your opinion doesnt matter to me. Mind your own business.

Blacks from all over the world are from Africa. What are you smoking?

 

[BillyP]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

I agree. What makes you think I believed I live in Africa?

I'm not saying that you live in Africa, what I'm saying is that you're not of African nationality so it's not right to put that on the same level as your nationality, which is American. And not all blacks in the US are from Africa, so it's not even a correct term.

Who told you its not right? Your opinion doesnt matter to me.

Blacks from all over the world are from Africa. What are you smoking?

Everyone from around the world is from Africa, even white peeps, get over that. Some blacks are from the Carribean, some from Europe...

 

[Asclepias]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

I agree. What makes you think I believed I live in Africa?

I'm not saying that you live in Africa, what I'm saying is that you're not of African nationality so it's not right to put that on the same level as your nationality, which is American. And not all blacks in the US are from Africa, so it's not even a correct term.

Who told you its not right? Your opinion doesnt matter to me.

Blacks from all over the world are from Africa. What are you smoking?

Everyone from around the world is from Africa, even white peeps, get over that. Some blacks are from the Carribean, some from Europe...

All Blacks can trace their ancestry to Africa recently. You cant say the same for say white people. They became white in Europe not Africa.

 

[Swagger]

I believe they don't. People should not have a problem with me calling myself African-american. if they do then they need to look within themselves to figure out exactly why that bothers them. If I was a "regular American" then the discriminatory treatment I have witnessed and been subject to would not have occurred. I have no problem with people noticing I am Black. I do have a problem with them forming a judgement of me before they know what I am about.

You're an American of African descent. American is your nationality, African is not.

I agree. What makes you think I believed I live in Africa?

I'm not saying that you live in Africa, what I'm saying is that you're not of African nationality so it's not right to put that on the same level as your nationality, which is American. And not all blacks in the US are from Africa, so it's not even a correct term.

True, but Asclepias' ancestors were from Africa, so I believe he should be allowed to label himself as African-American, the same as when some White people label themselves European-American.

 

[Swagger]

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

There are Italian, Irish, Greek, Ukranian, etc American groups and societies. Once again you make yourself look illiterate with your posts.

You had all those perks for 350 years. Stop whining about the attempt to make the playing field level. You sound like a little pansy.

Those are nationalities, not racial groups.

 

[Asclepias]

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

There are Italian, Irish, Greek, Ukranian, etc American groups and societies. Once again you make yourself look illiterate with your posts.

You had all those perks for 350 years. Stop whining about the attempt to make the playing field level. You sound like a little pansy.

Those are nationalities, not racial groups.

So is the term African.Its a descriptor for the continent of Africa just like Irish is a descriptor of people from Ireland. I dont call myself Negroid American.

 

[Swagger]

Africa is not a

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

There are Italian, Irish, Greek, Ukranian, etc American groups and societies. Once again you make yourself look illiterate with your posts.

You had all those perks for 350 years. Stop whining about the attempt to make the playing field level. You sound like a little pansy.

Those are nationalities, not racial groups.

So is the term African.Its a descriptor for the continent of Africa just like Irish is a descriptor of people from Ireland. I dont call myself Negroid American.

The point I'm trying to make is that there's no organisation, lobby group or league recognised by the U.S. government that explicitely seeks to promote and defend the interests of White Americans.

 

[Desperado]

E.W. Jackson, the controversial Republican candidate for Virginia Lieutenant Governor explained it best, and I could not agree more with his thoughts on the subject.

It is time to bring an end to the hyphenated American. We have balkanized ourselves into islands of ethnocentrism: Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, Jewish-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans. We understand the desire of people to maintain a connection to their history and ancestry. That desire is legitimate, but not at the expense of our national unity.

We are Americans with different ethnic backgrounds, but we are first and foremost Americans. Some of our forefathers came from Europe, some from Asia, India, the African continent and a host of nations around the world. If we restrict ourselves to our ethnic enclaves and ethnic identities, we deprive ourselves of the great benefits of the American experiment. It is about uniting a diverse group of people with a common love for freedom, democracy and the ideals of our nation. We are a family. We unite under one Constitution, one flag, and one common destiny. Without a single language, that ideal will become farther and farther from reality.

Virginia GOP Nominee: We Must 'Stand For An End To The Hyphenated American' | ThinkProgress

 

[Asclepias]

Africa is not a

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

There are Italian, Irish, Greek, Ukranian, etc American groups and societies. Once again you make yourself look illiterate with your posts.

You had all those perks for 350 years. Stop whining about the attempt to make the playing field level. You sound like a little pansy.

Those are nationalities, not racial groups.

So is the term African.Its a descriptor for the continent of Africa just like Irish is a descriptor of people from Ireland. I dont call myself Negroid American.

The point I'm trying to make is that there's no organisation, lobby group or league recognised by the U.S. government that explicitely seeks to promote and defend the interests of White Americans.

Thats a pretty weak point considering whites own the vast majority of the resources and the means to get them. They dont need a specific organization to promote and defend their interests. They hold the keys to their interests. Thats like claiming business owners need a union to protect their interests from their employees. LOL!

 

[Swagger]

Would you feel threatened if an organisation emerged that sought to promote and protect the group interests of White Americans and was acknowledged and supported by the U.S. government?

 

[Unkotare]

The only group who aren't represented by hyphenated names are white-americans. We don't have a group like the naacp to agitate/intervene for us..We don't have a ADL to run to when our ethnicity is belittled or targeted for violence (like in negro "rap" "songs") or whatever they're called...
We don't have a "white' legislative caucus to warp and twist government to our advantage.
We don't have AA to award us jobs by govt mandate
Our govt has been infiltrated and turned fully against us.

A day of reckoning and backlash approaches, though. It's inevitable.

LOL

And exactly what role will you play in this "reckoning," hero?