Do you think the term African-American or Hispanic-American is divisive?

Question

Shouldn't people in this country - who are citizens of this country - JUST call themselves AMERICANS?

I am WHITE - not an Irish-American

Answer 1

Oh man this is two I agree with you on, I dont know what is going on.
I think the term African American and Hispanic American are utterly ridiculous and should be done away with. You are either black white or hispanic. However I think that since a person skin color doesnt matter that a person should only be identified by skin color when needed, like oh an all points bulletin is issued because someone just robbed a bank. Otherwise they can just be content to naming the person by name not skin color. I think people should just call themselves American, Italian American, Polish American, all offend me too, you are born in America you are an American, be proud of that and own it, people die every day trying to come into this country.

Answer 2

I am Scottish-English-Irish-American, or just American if you prefer.

I agree, though. Once you come to this country and gain citizenship, in most cases you forfeit your previous citizenship. We are all Americans, whether we are or European, African, or Hispanic descent. The terms you mentioned are used because people tend to cling to them because they are less derogatory than the previous terms that were used. By dropping these terms, we put everyone on an equal level and that, after all, is what everyone deserves...

I pray for a day when people are not catagorized by where they come from, only where they are going...

Answer 3

These terms are a little bit separatist. The use of these labels seem to me to be an attempt to preserve some other heritage and to maintain a separate culture. In the early 1900s the key word was "assimilation", which meant that all these other huddled masses passing through Ellis Island were to be absorbed and become an intergral part of America. They became AMERICANS. Today when you see illegal Mexicans protesting in American cities and waving Mexican flags it is downright anti-American. There should be no tolerance for such things. There should be nothing to encourage maintenance of separatism, such as bilingualism in our schools or the workplace. This is America, let's keep it American.

Answer 4

Well whose fault is it? Who "names" different groups, races anyway? Every Black I know who lives in the United States just prefers to be referred to as a U.S. Citizen and IF you have to divide by race, they want to be called Black, not African-American. Some say they are tired of being defined and re-defined. *****, colored, Afro-American,African American....what's the purpose? My friends are Black. The live in the United States, which is a part of America.
I'm white. I live in the United States, which is a part of America.

Answer 5

I agree that people who live in the country should FIRST be citizens of that country...but....what is YOUR heritage?...Irish?...Polish?...French?....don't you refer to yourself as THAT part of your heritage?....aren't many people in Boston "Irish-American"???
HOWEVER....it is quite obvious by looking at someone that they are "african-american" or "hispanic-american"...don't forget, it takes a LONG time for the pendulum to swing back and forth.....the "N" word was used as a horrible description and now it has gone completely the other way.....it will take many years for this to be settled out to be acceptable to all.

Answer 6

No. I don't think that is where racism comes from. And I have no problem with people having pride. You have never celebrated being Irish? Like St Patrick's Day, or festivals? If you went to Ireland, would you tell people your family is Irish? My guess is yes, you would. Nothing wrong with pride. More white people should have it.

Answer 7

I THINK THAT YOU HAVE A PATHETIC WRONG IMAGE OF THE TRUE MISSISSIPPI HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS BOTH BLACK AND WHITE WHO ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO REBUILD THEIR HOMES AND STILL NEED ASSISTANCE.

THEY ARE NOT ASKING FOR A HANDOUT! IT IS JUST THAT WHEN 30 THOUSAND HOMES ARE DEMOLISHED IT IS BEYOND THE ABILITY OF MANKIND TO RECOVER BY NORMAL MEANS, AND THE PEOPLE NEED HELP!

CHURCH GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPING BUT WITHOUT THEM THIS AREA CANNOT RECOVER!

I USUALLY HELP DURING HURRICANES I AM 61 YEARS OLD BUT KATRINA TOOK ME OUT OF THE HELPING BUSINESS INTO THE RECEIVING!

I HAVE GONE ALL OVER THE US AND HELPED BUT THIS IS THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE PERIOD. I AM NOW IN THE POSITION WHERE I CAN AT LAST AID OTHERS. IT TOOK OVER 14 MONTHS TO GET THERE!

NEW ORLEANS HAS DONE MORE HARM TO THE IMAGE OF THE STORM THAN ANYTHING! THERE WERE 6 SHOOTINGS LAST NIGHT OVER THERE AND THERE WAS NOT EVEN A CLOUD IN THE SKY!

VOLUNTEERS HAVE DONE MIRACLES DOWN HERE AND DESERVE PRAISE! THEY HAVE HELPED SO , SO MUCH NOW WORDS COULD EVER EXPRESS THE APPRECIATION ENOUGH!

APS

Answer 8

what wrong with saying black or hispanic? i dont call myself an irish-german american, why, because im american. ive only met two people in my life who were african americans, when they got citizenship they called themselves AMERICAN. So why do most blacks say a white person from south africa isnt african american, because there white. we need to quit with the hypenated names for people and call them what they are white black hispanic asian or whatever and AMERICANS

Its all just more PC BS!

Answer 9

I don't think it's divisive at all. I think white is divisive. I will like you to call yourself European-american because you're not white you are variations of pink. Will you do it?.

Now do you see how silly it is for us to demand that people call themselves what WE want.

It's a NIT people, get use to it!!!

Answer 10

Um, "liberals" didn't make up those names...:)

Yes, I think they're somewhat divisive. The ideal situation would be for everyone to consider themselves, and have everyone call them, plain old "Americans." That some groups still feel the need to ethnically identify themselves as subgroups of Americans really has to do with racism still being prevalent -- if they felt they were being treated equally as "regular" Americans, they'd drop the sub-group identification...and so would everyone else.