I heard on the radio that one of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay is claiming to be an American by birth-- born in Baton Rouge but moved to the Middle East at about age 2. I get my news from the radio; will someone please find the link?!
Don't worry giddyup, he's not a "plain american", he was just born here. http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/04/03/ret.american.taliban/index.html
What is objectionable about being a "Plain-American?" Are you a Francis-Rocket fan or a Griffin-Rocket fan? Don't tell me a Mobely-Rocket fan!! Yeah, silly but being an American first is important....
When no one responds, assume you're being ignored. I'll give you this token response to give you the "warm and fuzzies".
If you think hyphenated labels are so bad, why do you think that the non-hyphenated ones are somehow better? Why does being called "American" seem favorable to you? Why even differentiate? Why not just be "human" or "a person"? Frankly, that's where I am in my thinking. I don't care to be called American, I don't care to be called Indian, I don't care to be called Indian-American... I'm me, just as you're you. I try to leave it at that. By the way, why can't you just like basketball? Why are the Rockets your preferred team?
<b>DoD</b>: If you think hyphenated labels are so bad, why do you think that the non-hyphenated ones are somehow better? Why does being called "American" seem favorable to you? Why even differentiate? Why not just be "human" or "a person"? <b>giddyup</b>: I don't think hyphenated labels are bad per se. The real issue seems to be where one ranks them. Every US citizen should be a Plain-American first, then they can be whatever hyphenated version they wish to be. I have nothing against varying ethnicities, but "available" American unity is paramount-- should it be needed. Too many hyphenations are associated with victimhood. That's never good. <b>DoD</b>: Frankly, that's where I am in my thinking. I don't care to be called American, I don't care to be called Indian, I don't care to be called Indian-American... I'm me, just as you're you. I try to leave it at that. <b>giddyup</b>: All that is true but at a different level. I'm not ONLY a Plain-American, but where and when it matters that's what I am: Plain-American. <b>DoD</b>: By the way, why can't you just like basketball? Why are the Rockets your preferred team? <b>giddyup</b>: There's nothing wrong with a bit of sentimental favoritism (i.e. being a Rocket fan or being Polish or Italian or whatever). Too many people use the hyphenation to splinter this country not to enrich it. That's all that bothers me. Rooting for the Rockets creates rivalrous relationships and generates interest in the games and, of course, there is no natiional interest at stake. My point about being a Francis-Rocket versus a Griffin-Rocket is that it can be a destructive factor when carried to extreme. Same with ethnic hyphenations.
Fair enough. My point in all this was that any labeling could be bad, and I think people do carry it to the extreme whether it be hyphenated or non. Why should I care what you are? I don't think changing geographical locations somehow makes you something else. I also don't think that you are anything but what you believe you are and to impose these labels on people is pointless. For example, call me American. What has now changed about me? Nothing. I'm still me. I don't walk around questioning anyone's nationality on a daily basis, so it doesn't really make a difference to me what they are. Another question : what makes a person American? At what point does/can/should someone from another country become an American?
Good question. To further complicate, is it an internal or external turning point. In other words, do you make yourself American or does other people's judgement. For example, if someone was in a store and saw (not even talking about talking to someone) DoD, would they think of him first as an American? Funny story. My wife and I were at the Musee D'Orsay, she was waiting in line for the bathroom, and an American woman in front of her asked, "Do you come from Japan?" in a patronizing voice (it was funny not only because she was wrong about ethnicity, but also because if my wife was pure Japanese and in Paris, would she have understood English?). Her looks never would have defined her as American.
The issue is that <b>people label themselves, not that I label them</b>. I am just of the opinion that THE MOST IMPORTANT LABEL is that of the Plain-American. If you are a citizen of this country, all others pale. Why would one "change geographical locations" i.e. move to the U.S. and pursue citizenship unless one wanted to be an American? If one doesn't want to be an American first, just move back to where one came from. Someone from another country becomes an American when that identity is on their heart and their lips.
