Why are irish, english, aussie, brit, welsh, and german Americans just called Americans but......?

Question

alot of hispanics refer to themselves as "latin Americans"- does the first group have more pride in being American?

They are all immigrants?...why do some embrace this country more than others?........out of all the above mentioned countries Mexico is the worst off....yet they are least proud of the title American? without the denomination?

Can someone please explain this to me in a way that clarifies the difference?

Amanda!~ South American cultures are more diverse then any cultures...they even speak different dialects that the others cant comprehend.....try again!!!

Answer 1

i know. they also fly that stupid little mexican flag outside their house and speak spanish, yet they are screaming that they want to be American. The only thing they want from America is free money, food stamps, health care. they should be in their own country fighting their own government for this, not sponging off the Americans. our motto "Land of the Free" means free from religious persecution and so on, NOT free bees to be given out here

Answer 2

What about the Irish American family the Kennedy and I bet on St Patricks Day the Irish are Irish before American.
I have heard Steven Spielberg described as a Jewish American
Frank Sinatra as an Italian American

I have never heard of an Australian American or British American.

Answer 3

America is a country.

"The Americas" is the land mass consisting of North and South America.

"Hispanic" describes a person from a Spanish speaking country - be it Spain itself or somewhere in Latin America.

A "Latin American" is an individual from the Americas, and who comes from a nation south of the USA, where Spanish, Portuguese, or French is officially spoken. Each of these three languages is LATIN based.

Mexico is doing relatively well compared to other Latin American countries.

Although Mexicans are Latin American, not all Latin Americans are Mexican.

Most Americans of European descent have ancestors that came to this country so long ago (usually 1800's) that it's not easy to affix a label to them anymore. Especially when one nationality marries another. It's easier just to say "white". These people have lived here so long that they no longer identify with their family's home countries. All they have is America.

This has not always been the case though. There used to be very distinct Italian, Irish, German etc. groups and neighborhoods. Now, not so much.

Large numbers of immigrants from Latin America is a more recent phenomenon. Many of these people can still speak a latin-based language, and bring their customs and culture to the United States. As these people live here longer, eventually this newest wave of culture will meld just as all previous waves of cultures have.

"American" culture basically IS "European American" culture. So much so, that it is taken for granted, and when the word "American" is used, it is assumed to mean "European American". Take a closer look at American culture. We do very English (England) things - mixed with other traditions. That's simply who we are. It's curious that you omitted "Native Americans" from your list of Americans. They are perhaps the most "American" of us all, and their culture is mostly ignored. I think the "difference" you seek to be clarified is more in the eye of the beholder.

The ancestory of Latin Americans is mostly made up of people indigenous to the Americas. They are already more "American" than any individual of Irish or German descent. But if you want to know the truth of it, they're not really indigenous to the Americas - they just got here sooner. Their ancestors walked here from Asia through Alaska. EVERYONE living here has the same roots in Africa, the birthplace of man.

Well, I'm off to Jack-in-the Box for dinner - a distinctly American eatery. I am going to order a taco, a hamburger, a croisant sandwich, and an egg roll. ALL are on the menu, and it will be a truly American dinner.

From one Gringo to another, I hope that answers your question.

Answer 4

The main reason is beasue those of us of European ancestry have been societally conditioned to have no regard for our ancestry. Add to that the fact that most Euro-Americans are not even aware of their pre-American ancestry and the large number of them that have ancestries from multiple places (German, Irish, Sweedish, Spanish, Portuguese in my case along with Cherokee) and such definitions become more difficult. Admittedly the more generic term Euro-American would suffice but so few are willing to acknowledge their European ancestry that I somehow doubt the term will ever catch on in a society where anything that is Eurocentric is seen as somehow politically incorrect and often racist even when it isn't.

Answer 5

Not true. I was just at an Italian-American festival and there are lots of Irish-American and German-American things going on too. The British and Australians don't usually become American citizens anymore. They may reside here, but keep their passports.

Answer 6

That is an excellent question!! I would have to say yes that the first group has more pride in being American. In my experience with people from other countries that are here, their attitude mainly comes from their up-bringing and their age. I work in a very diverse business, I work with people that are from all over the world. I think the younger generation - even the one's born in US just have a really crappy perspective about everything. I wish there was a clear explaination for your question.
Seriously, I hope there is a Latin- American that could answer and hopefully, they wont take it as a racist question, because it truly isn't. don't be on the defensive, just answer!

Answer 7

as a thank you to fielding a uk team for the 2012 Olympics this has been reported, and the info are that whether the proposed uk supervisor had a call from the 4 domicile international locations the team could be virtually completely English gamers in spite of everything, so that is of no benefit.

Answer 8

It depends on your family. Really I am so proud to be Colombian that I say it any time I can. Most Italians feel the same way. Some countries show more pride then others but what you have to remember about americans of european descent is that they dont have that heritage. Its been lost through the different generations so they just see themselves as plain white. I know in New Jersey the polish population is proud to be polish and the Italian population is proud to be Italian. IN america most americans identify themselfs with their state instead of their country of decendance.

Answer 9

For the thedreamweaverwolf: Mexican people are the people who work harder in this country. I just can't believe that you said something like that. You should look twice before you talk. They go trough a lot to come here just to be treated like modern slaves.

Now to the main question:
First everybody who lives in this side of the world is American, not only the one who lives in USA. All of us are Americans North, Central, Caribbean and South.

Second I think that we Hispanic people are very proud of our roots and we want to make it clear every time we get a chance.

Third I think that is the people of this country the ones that put the line and make the difference between European immigrants and Latin immigrants. They think European people are better than us.

Fourth The deal with Mexican people is that deep inside they feel that this country don't want them in here. So why you are going to feel proud of been part of something if they don't want you the be part of them. I don't blame them.

In conclusion my point is that European in migrants don't have to deal with the whole acceptance issues that Hispanic people have to deal. So they feel part of this country really fast. In the other hand Hispanic people live in an eternal battle to be accepted by this country and to end with generalizations. So it's harder for us call us part of a country that have so many issues with us.

By the way I am puertorrican!!!!!

Answer 10

The "Latin Americans" are the most recent immigrants. They refer to their place of origin because first of all, they are a completely different culture. Your first grouping of people are all white with a basically similar culture.

And, "Latin Americans" are a group. The people that you listed first are from countries. Latin Americans constitutes several different countries, and, in an effort to "unite" them by their culture.

*EDIT++++DUH____ Hence, saying "LAtin Americans" unites them as a group. They are otherwise, seperate countries. Perhaps I should have worded the paragraph above better. I am trying to say the same thing as you- instead of saying, "Dominicans, Peruvians, Cubans, Mexicans, Costa Ricans, UNITE!" They say, "Latin Americans". Does that explain what I am saying? These are several different countries. What they share in common is the phrase LAtin American.................+

Answer 11

The first group came to America to find the American dream. They respect America and what it stands for. And yes, they are proud to be American. The second group does not like America, nor does it like what it stands for. They want us to accept their culture but are unwilling to accept anyone elses. They want us to change America to be more like their home countries. There are so many different cultures here I think they are afraid they will become lost and lose their own culture.