My friend, who is white, just moved to the US from Africa and refers to himself as "African American"...

Question

Does anyone else see the irony in this? He's quite serious about being referred to as an African American, and says he feels out his paperwork by checking this box for ethnicity...

Answer 1

As long as he has become an American citizen,then what is the problem?Do you really think that only black Africans live in Africa? Would you still be asking this question if he were from France,Spain,Holland, etc? Think about it.He's proud of his country
and has every right to be.I just think it would be hysterical to see the expression on people's faces after he "FILLS" out an application,and the person he's interviewing with,thinks like you.By the way,the very beautiful actress Charlize Theron is from South Africa.I saw her on "Inside the actors studio" and she spoke a bit of her native tongue,and the language is quite beautiful.Live and let live.God bless

P.S.I'm Cajun French/Spanish,and I always check other.

Answer 2

Well, he is from Africa and living in America now, so technically he IS African American.

Personally I think it's silly to use the terms "African American", "Caucasian" etc. for races. I don't think there should be any places associated with the races, because there are white Africans, black people who have never even been to Africa (plus, what would you call a black person from Europe? Hardly African American?), yellow Caucasians, white people who have never been to the Caucasian area etc.

In my opinion, races should be called by their color and place names should be reserved for describing where someone comes from (as in where they themselves were born, grew up or live now, not who their ancestors a few hundred years back were).

Answer 3

i could insist on it just to annoy people and wreck the uncomplicated concept of social labels >.> the full i'm African-American, Italian-American, Irish-American and so on. concern annoys me plenty. in case you have been born in united statesa. and you have an American nationality then you certainly are in basic terms American inspite of your race. You had an ethnic great whether many cases Grandmother from Africa? enormous deal I certainly have an ethnic great whether many cases Grandmother from Morocco and that i'm white as snow do i pass around calling myself African-British? i do no longer care who your loved ones develop into or the their background, except -YOU- especially have been an ingredient of that background then you certainly can no longer declare it. In my techniques an African American is somebody born in Africa, who initially held an African nationality and later gained an American nationality. in case you by no potential held an African nationality and you're black then it somewhat is how I see you, a black American; no longer African-American, in basic terms American. contained in the united kingdom we very infrequently use words like Anglo-African or Anglo-Caribbean whether it truly is often utilized to somebody who held a miles off places nationality at beginning and later gained a British nationality and it is not tied to race. in case you're born in this united states and carry a British nationality then you certainly're in basic terms British, you would be able to correctly be White British or Black British yet we don't seem at your loved ones background and say oh your mom got here from Zimbabwe so which you're Anglo-African. contained in terms of your occasion i could say confident, i could evaluate a white individual born in South Africa and later residing with an American nationality to be African-American.

Answer 4

Curious as to what paperwork you're referring to. All options I've ever seen are: black, hispanic, asian and white. His ethnic background is white; his national origin is African (if he is American citizen then he is American or African-American). Color has nothing to do with national origin.

Answer 5

Well.... he is and has the right to say so... un like the folks here in the USA who were born American.. they are not African

Answer 6

He is correct. If you moved to Africa, you would still call your self a "Cracker American-African", Correct?

Answer 7

he is africa america thats how whites can chose and just give blacks a label even though they never live there they should have the sames rights

Answer 8

My opionion is if ur White ur American If ur black ur African I am not racist but that's just the way i look at it.

Answer 9

good for him..lol..bet that burns some assessss..lol..classic..