Should hyphenated Americans change to American-first?

Question

I have no African-American friends, or Mexican-American, Australian-American or any hyphenated-friends. I just have friends, American friends and non-American friends. I just use the word friends. OK sometimes smart or stupid-friends.
I'm against "hyphenated" Americans. Only those who hold duel citizenship should be
hyphenated. If an American wishes to acknowledge their heritage doesn't it make sense to be American-African, American-Mexican, America-Cuban...etc. There's no hyphen after the word American. If you must hyphenate please American first then your Hyphen.
Please pass it along, American then hyphen. If you must hyphenate at all..

Answer 1

I can't see the need for the hyphen. Either one is American or one isn't. (The one exception might be Native Americans. After all, they are the only TRUE Americans.) I would imagine that a very small percentage of blacks in America were born in Africa.
Same with other "nationalities". If you were born here you are American. If you are a naturalized citizen, you are still an American. If you are not a citizen, then you are still Irish-Scottish-Mexican-Canadian-Lithuanian-etc.

Answer 2

You make a good point. However, it's difficult to change the customary way that people express themselves. I find certain words and phrases to be inaccurate, and I'd like to change them--just as you do.

For example, I don't like the word "anti-Semitic," because it really means "anti-Jew" in the context in which it is usually used. I have heard people who are pro-Arab called "anti-Semitic," which doesn't make sense, because Arabs are Semites.

Another word that I avoid using is "mulatto," because the word is derived from "mule," and it goes back to the outdated and racist notion that Blacks are, somehow, a different species of humans than Whites (a mule is a cross between two different species of equines). So I use the word, "Eurafrican" instead of "mulatto," at least in part because people are used to hearing the word, "Eurasian."

And that's part of the problem: "Eurafrican" sounds weird to people because they're not used to hearing it. You'll have the same problem with your new way of more-correctly saying things, but the only way to make it "sound right" is to keep repeating it and making it become more commonplace.

Answer 3

I am an Irish-Indian-German-Canadian-French-American!

I know that using hyphens is so stupid! Some of these people need to get a life because it seems that they are having an identity crisis and don't know what they are!

Answer 4

It signifies their differences in customs. When asked why I have ravioli at Christmas instead of ham, the easiest answer is "because I'm Italian American." Italian is just the adjective. I am American, Italian is the type.

Is it really that big of a deal?

Answer 5

I think if they are gonna be American then they should be, or if they are going to be African they should be, but they can't be african american because there is no such place.

Question is if I move to african am I an American - African?

Answer 6

They dont want to give up their crutches.

Answer 7

you clearly have too much free time on your hands!