Current Events > As a European, I don't get why you Americans are so obsessed with ''heritage''

(+) Yeah! (+)

It sounds ridiculous to me (and most people not in the US. apparently). You can't claim to be Italian-American, if you're 1/24th Italian / a mutt. You can't claim to be German-American if you know nothing about the country and can only claim a sprinkle of such as your ethnicity.

The only thing that makes sense is African-American, as it encompasses all the African ethnicities which the person might have.

All in all, stop trying to be Irish this, German that, Russian so - because you simply aren't. You're European- or Caucasian American, or simply... American.

It's the Neo Nazis that only care about it.

Kurumiee posted...

The only thing that makes sense is African-American, as it encompasses all the African ethnicities which the person might have.

There is a very simple reason why they might not know what country their ancestors came from, you know.

Tie that into a cultural obsession with lineage and it becomes a delightful little tool for control and oppression.

Not how it works

"you know, I'm 1/32nd scottish you know. I've got my clan tartan"

It is also very racist. If someone who is 3/4 German happens to be 1/4 black (therefore looking black) says he is German or German-American he will be told he cant claim it

It's because our entire country is built on immigration, and some people like to feel a connection to their family's origins. Unless someone is Native American, those origins are elsewhere

My parents were born in Mexico and lived there for 30 years before choosing to move up north. Their parents were born in Mexico and lived their entire lives there.

LMAO this is fucking hilarious. White Americans get so much shit for having no identity and just being generically "White" but when they want find out what they are and want to celebrate what they are then you get people like TC shitting on them.

russell peters has some pretty funny bits about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugUzzkG7E-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WozJf-c7oq8

I don't consider myself any race at all.

MrAndersonWb posted...

It is also very racist. If someone who is 3/4 German happens to be 1/4 black (therefore looking black) says he is German or German-American he will be told he cant claim it

That.....isn't true at all. Look at Germany's national soccer team. There are a bunch of black players who proudly claim to be German and are accepted for being German.

The_Eko posted...

That.....isn't true at all. Look at Germany's national soccer team. There are a bunch of black players who proudly claim to be German and are accepted for being German.

I mean in America

It's because our culture here is kinda shit, and it gives us something to pretend to be more interesting.

VeggetaX posted...

LMAO this is fucking hilarious. White Americans get so much shit for having no identity and just being generically "White" but when they want find out what they are and want to celebrate what they are then you get people like TC shitting on them.

Your identity is American. The same for African-Americans. Their culture isn't African at all, but it's African-American, sure. If you're a White American, then you're both European-American and just.. American. Not that hard to comprehend.

MrAndersonWb posted...

I mean in America

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/1/8/AABUaRAADhB2.jpg
A white person gets to pick their master status in America. Job, being a parent, that sort of thing.

A black person does not.

The_Eko posted...

That.....isn't true at all. Look at Germany's national soccer team. There are a bunch of black players who proudly claim to be German and are accepted for being German.

They're German because they possess German citizenship. That makes them German. That doesn't say anything about ethnicity though.

What's TC's beef? There are plenty of cities and towns in the US which still see the cultural impact of the people who originally settled there. Any many Americans are only 3-4 generations out from their original immigrant ancestors.

Hehe, TC...I have you tagged as Lithuanian...so there ya go.
But that is out of respect.

Maybe it's because I live in New York State which is hugely diverse, but yes I do think your heritage matters.

I wouldn't be myself if my Great Grandmother did come off the Boat from Italy.
I feel blessed to have the chance to have gotten to meet her.
She was everything you would expect.

Also food.
We have so much good food up here, and ya a lot of it is 'Heritage' food.

I feel like I would be bored if there wasn't so much diversity up here.

There is nothing wrong with knowing your family's history.
In fact, I find it odd when people don't know their family's history.

It's not about Racism at all...unless you are a racist...then that is on the individual....

Never Forget your Roots.

Kurumiee posted...

Your identity is American. The same for African-Americans. Their culture isn't African at all, but it's African-American, sure. If you're a White American, then you're both European-American and just.. American. Not that hard to comprehend.

this kinda gatekeeping is just awful lmao

The_Eko posted...

That.....isn't true at all. Look at Germany's national soccer team. There are a bunch of black players who proudly claim to be German and are accepted for being German.

Yeah, as usual for people here, he's making things up to get upset about.

SiO4 posted...

Hehe, TC...I have you tagged as Lithuanian...so there ya go.
But that is out of respect.

Maybe it's because I live in New York State which is hugely diverse, but yes I do think your heritage matters.

I wouldn't be myself if my Great Grandmother did come off the Boat from Italy.
I feel blessed to have the chance to have gotten to meet her.
She was everything you would expect.

Also food.
We have so much good food up here, and ya a lot of it is 'Heritage' food.

I feel like I would be bored if there wasn't so much diversity up here.

There is nothing wrong with knowing your family's history.
In fact, I find it odd when people don't know their family's history.

It's not about Racism at all...unless you are a racist...then that is on the individual....

Never Forget your Roots.

How did you know I'm Lithuanian?

American here

My take is that we are trying to cling to our ancestral homelands. Since we left them. So we desire to still have some attachment to it. So we obsess over ancestry

I used to be really obsessed with the fact I'm descended from a Scot that came to America in the 1600 or 1700s. Was really into Scottish stuff for a while

Kurumiee posted...

How did you know I'm Lithuanian?

Dude. People here have either a steel trap mind or 20 spreadsheets.

VeggetaX posted...

this kinda gatekeeping is just awful lmao

Yep. TC seems to think that all white people are mutts, which just isn't true. My grandmother was 100% German, born to parents who immigrated. She spoke German at home, learned how to cook German food, etc. but according to him that 'heritage' is just nonsense.

Slightly wondering how this topic is still up considering he called Americans mutts lol

It's probably the same reason Americans are so obsessed with broadcasting their sexuality and ethnicity as personality traits: dull af people that don't have a personality to highlight in the first place, so this flimsy lineage crap is the next best thing for them.

Could someone please explain to me the thought process of "I want to learn about my history and ancestors" = "I hate anyone who isn't white"

I'm 50% Irish and my mom has dual citizenship with Ireland. My grandpa's dad immigrated in the early 20th century and my grandpa was in the Korean war.

Americans sometimes value where we came from, and I appreciate my Irish heritage.

I feel like a lot of people ITT think that Americans all migrated over in the 1600s or 1700s when in reality most Americans grandparents or great grandparents are from a different country.

I'm Mexican...
But I'm pretty sure I'm half European if you take into consideration that the conquistadors greatly affected the native population of the Mexicans