who here is german?

[///MDreain]

Native American. My mom grew up on a Sioux reservation in North Dakota. From my dad's side I have some crazy mix of a bunch of european stuff. So overall I'm an American White Boy

[doughboyea]

Originally Posted by brian4797

You speak of the "melting pot," which is spoken about so much. I do not see the "melting pot" as effective anymore, minus skin colors, which mean nothing. Skin color is not race, and there are not multiple human races. I believe American Culture, in general, is defined. Yes, there is variation of languages, religions, ect., but this is part of our culture.

The melting pot is indeed still present. Look around man. How many hispanics, blacks, middle eastern, european, asian ect. people do you have around you. The USA is a brewery of sorts. It holds all the ingredients that make up the "culture" that you speak of. Yet, all are sharing thier habitation here, in this country, it was thier family's origin, thier customs that they grew up with. If you were to look several hundred years into the future, our melting pot would consist of a more balance society, refering to customs.

Gotta get to class.........discuss later....

Dough

[EnvyM3]

I'm a mutt

50% German
25% Irish (100% on St. Pattys Day)
25% French Canadian, eh?

[donald1476]

25% Mexican
25% German
50% Irish

[craig]

might as well do the % too.

50% german
45% something-i-cant-spell

5% french(i like to ingore this one)

[brien4787]

Originally Posted by doughboyea

The melting pot is indeed still present. Look around man. How many hispanics, blacks, middle eastern, european, asian ect. people do you have around you. The USA is a brewery of sorts. It holds all the ingredients that make up the "culture" that you speak of. Yet, all are sharing thier habitation here, in this country, it was thier family's origin, thier customs that they grew up with. If you were to look several hundred years into the future, our melting pot would consist of a more balance society, refering to customs.

Gotta get to class.........discuss later....

Dough

I do not agree... I believe that mix is our own culture.

[brien4787]

Plus, these countries have not been around forever.... So saying that you are German does not even bring you back to the natural origins (just another way of looking at things).

[doughboyea]

Brien, of course, these countries haven't been around forever. But, in comparison, the USA has been around officially since 1776, 230 years of history. Hungary celebrated it's 1000th year recently. Now, my point is that the accumilation of history and traditions are more apparent in families comming over. Sure, those whom fore fathers immigrated in the 1920's will have more washed out customs, meaning, more mixed in with other cultures, but they are still present in a minor form. I have some friends that don't celebrate Thanksgiving, why... because it's a US holiday. My girlfriend celebrates Boxing Day... why... because its a holiday in her family's home country. My family, we've never celebrated Christmas in the morning, always on the Eve.

Now if you want to talk about natural origins then you'll have to go back to the African continent, but, seeing how documentation didn't exist much before the bronze age, that would be just a tad to far back to realistically view. But, I believe we are getting off topic here. I am Hungarian. I was born in America and am an American Citizen. I am applying for a joint US-HU citizenship. I do not want to loose my roots. When I have childredn, they will learn of my family and the wife's history. They will learn where we came from and what the family went though. Being as such, they can be proud to learn that at heart, they are Hungarian/(whatever the wife is).

Ok, now that I've trailed even more off topic, I'll stop here. But I hope that I've made some sence to some, while to others, I hope that you haven't lost your family roots. No offense intended.

Dough

[xsperf]

if you moved to germany, you would call yourself american

[doughboyea]

if I moved to Germany, I'd still call myself Hungarian, born in USA.

[xsperf]

yes, i agree w/you dough, i was directing it to Brien who is "all american" meaning that he will not call himself german if he moves to germany

[doughboyea]

ah, gotcha

[94bmw325i]

Originally Posted by brien4787

I do not see why someone would say "I am...." if they have lived in America their whole lives... especially the ones that have parents, and grandparents who lived in the U.S. their whole lives... seems... kind of stupid?

yeah the only reason I replied is because I was born in Britain, and lived there till I was 11.

[brien4787]

This is not a matter of right or wrong, but perspective.
The point I am making is not supposed to be very specific, but more broad.

Of course if an American moves to a different country, he or she will carry and relate to American culutre... When did I ever say different?


Yes, there are differences, but the whole culture is not present. Even the small differences can be seen as part of the American culture.

Yes, some people can related to decending cultures well, but in general, most people do not know what what the other culture really is like. Sure you might know some traditions of your relatives, but I do not believe that this makes you "German" or what your ethnicity is.

I am not saying people are wrong for calling themselves a certain name, it is just one of my general perspectives.

[brien4787]

Originally Posted by 94bmw325i

yeah the only reason I replied is because I was born in Britain, and lived there till I was 11.

That is awesome. I want to live some where else for a period of time to see what other countries and cultures are like, first hand.

Britain is pretty similar to the United States, isn't it? (Same language kind of helps, haha)