[undotwa]

Since just about everyone here has a nationality of some sort, what is yours?

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

Well I was born in Canada and live here but my parents are both German.

[Mulattabianca]

I am in the category for "other please specify" for both passes

I want a US passport...

[wdlove]

I have English & German ancestry. My mother calls her side Pennsylvania Dutch to be specific. My father English.

[simonjames]

Excuse me - putting New Zealanders in the same group as Australians is like lumping Canadians with Americans. I can't believe you have done this.

[PowerMatt]

I guess I am American, but my true nationalities are:

German
Irish
French
English
Menominee Indian

[Cipher13]

Originally posted by simonjames:
Excuse me - putting New Zealanders in the same group as Australians is like lumping Canadians with Americans. I can't believe you have done this.

Indeed; I'm insulted to have been groupd in with New Zealanders, of all people...

[DaKiwi2788]

I am a mutt. I get Irish from my mom and German, Polish, and English from my dad. I think I am mostly Irish and Polish though.

[undotwa]

I had limited poll options (up to ten) so I had to group some countries, including all of Europe.

Yeah, I should of said Australiasian or something.

[l008com]

You should have divided it by continent instead. Yeah I feel for you Australians. The thought of being grouped together with those damn dirty Canadians just makes my stomach churn. With their beady little eyes and flapping heads!!!


::typo::

[OldManMac]

I vas born in Chermany, und I kame ofer on ze big ship in 1953, ven I vas chust sefen years olt!
Next year will be our 50th anniversary in the U.S.!

[dvd]

heheh whats china, i thought it would be asian

[nonhuman]

Originally posted by KarlG:
I vas born in Chermany, und I kame ofer on ze big ship in 1953, ven I vas chust sefen years olt!
Next year will be our 50th anniversary in the U.S.!

Don't you mean 'in ze U.S.!'?

So if I'm only the third generation in the US, and my family was in Russia for countless generations, what am I? It seem like calling my self American would be a slap in the face to my Russian heritage, and calling myself Russian seems like it would be somewhat dishonest (although it was my father's father's father who was from Russia, so in the strongly patriarchical society that is Russian society, I wouldn't be completely unjustified in calling myself Russian).

[gerbnl]

Originally posted by undotwa:
Since just about everyone here has a nationality of some sort, what is yours?

Europe, Netherlands

[Mastrap]

I always find it amazing how Americans define themselves by their heritage, sometimes going back generations.

Of course people who've been living in Chicago for 50 years aren't Irish any more. It takes more than getting pissed on St. Patrick's day and being a Michael Flatley fan to be Irish. It doesn't maked you Russian if your great-great-granfather stowed away on a ship to a better live, in Leningrad, 150 years ago.

I find it puzzling that the citizens of a nation that has achieved so much and demonstrates such obvious pride in these achievements will insist on defining themselves by the geographical origin of generations past. There is simply no equivalent for this sort of thing in Europe. I've also very rarely seen an Australian or Kiwi demonstrate the same behaviour. Most of my Ossie friends are happy to be Australians, the same goes for South Africans and New Zealanders.

If you've been born in America you're an American. Get over it. There's nothing wrong with that. Heritage is a fine thing but it's just that - heritage. While you might be decendend of the nationalities you're all talking about, off the nationality you're not. And why should you be? There was a reason why your anchestors left Russia,left Ireland, left Germany, left Poland, left Italy - they were looking for a better, a freer life, a more prosperous life. Isn't it time you've started honouring that by building your own traditions and identity?


Me: Russian/German/Danish/Swedish/Celtic/Irish

But really, English and German

[olePigeon]

Originally posted by Mastrap:

Me: Russian/German/Danish/Swedish/Celtic/Irish

Irish is Celtic.

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by olePigeon:


Irish is Celtic.

tut tut - no if it's Scottish, then it's not

[Kenneth]

I was born in Hong Kong, but I carry a BNO passport. Simple is that.

[Logic]

I'm Icelandic but I've lived most of my life in Sweden and hope to move there in a near future. Feel more like a swede than icelander.

[desvenne]

I'm from Europe.


To be more exact: I'm from a town in the Flemish, Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.

The town is called Gent, and you haven't lived if you haven't seen it

More about it here: http://www.gent.be/gent/english/index.htm

The capitol of Belgium is Brussels. And no, it's not the other way around.

If you can locate gerbnl's home, Holland, on the map, we'll we're right next to it, sandwiched inbetween France, Germany, luxemburg, Holland and the North sea

That's about it.

[MPC]

A little bit of adam, a little bit of eve.

But, white trash to the bone!

[Tota]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
I always find it amazing how Americans define themselves by their heritage, sometimes going back generations.

Of course people who've been living in Chicago for 50 years aren't Irish any more. It takes more than getting pissed on St. Patrick's day and being a Michael Flatley fan to be Irish. It doesn't maked you Russian if your great-great-granfather stowed away on a ship to a better live, in Leningrad, 150 years ago.

I find it puzzling that the citizens of a nation that has achieved so much and demonstrates such obvious pride in these achievements will insist on defining themselves by the geographical origin of generations past. There is simply no equivalent for this sort of thing in Europe. I've also very rarely seen an Australian or Kiwi demonstrate the same behaviour. Most of my Ossie friends are happy to be Australians, the same goes for South Africans and New Zealanders.

If you've been born in America you're an American. Get over it. There's nothing wrong with that. Heritage is a fine thing but it's just that - heritage. While you might be decendend of the nationalities you're all talking about, off the nationality you're not. And why should you be? There was a reason why your anchestors left Russia,left Ireland, left Germany, left Poland, left Italy - they were looking for a better, a freer life, a more prosperous life. Isn't it time you've started honouring that by building your own traditions and identity?

hear hear, a simple "Born in the USA" would suffice, who gives a toss that you're:
2% jewish
6% mohican
1,5% Dutch
0,1% black
90,4% Irish trash

[Jens Peter]

I'm from �rhus, Denmark. And that's in Europe if someone don't know that.



Jens Peter

[gerbnl]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
I always find it amazing how Americans define themselves by their heritage, sometimes going back generations.

LOL! Even without this amazing fact, current poll proceedings indicate they are a MINORITY!!!

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by gerbnl:


LOL! Even without this amazing fact, current poll proceedings indicate they are a MINORITY!!!

Well, what a surprise. The EU alone has a population that is 100 million larger than the US.

[gerbnl]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:


Well, what a surprise. The EU alone has a population that is 100 million larger than the US.

Hum... actually most of those are not able to take part in the poll for lack of internet connectivity.

[yakkiebah]

Originally posted by gerbnl:


Hum... actually most of those are not able to take part in the poll for lack of internet connectivity.

and the mac isn't as populair here as it is in the US.

anyway, another dutchman here, amsterdamned

[elzinat]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
I always find it amazing how Americans define themselves by their heritage, sometimes going back generations.

Of course people who've been living in Chicago for 50 years aren't Irish any more. It takes more than getting pissed on St. Patrick's day and being a Michael Flatley fan to be Irish. It doesn't maked you Russian if your great-great-granfather stowed away on a ship to a better live, in Leningrad, 150 years ago.

I find it puzzling that the citizens of a nation that has achieved so much and demonstrates such obvious pride in these achievements will insist on defining themselves by the geographical origin of generations past. There is simply no equivalent for this sort of thing in Europe. I've also very rarely seen an Australian or Kiwi demonstrate the same behaviour. Most of my Ossie friends are happy to be Australians, the same goes for South Africans and New Zealanders.

If you've been born in America you're an American. Get over it. There's nothing wrong with that. Heritage is a fine thing but it's just that - heritage. While you might be decendend of the nationalities you're all talking about, off the nationality you're not. And why should you be? There was a reason why your anchestors left Russia,left Ireland, left Germany, left Poland, left Italy - they were looking for a better, a freer life, a more prosperous life. Isn't it time you've started honouring that by building your own traditions and identity?

There are a number of effects to consider here. First of all, since we're talking about "nationality," let's define the nation-ness of the United States. the US is a civic nation, defined for its citizens by a sharing of ideals. this idea is well encapsulated in the US nationalization process. anybody, after demonstrating knowledge of the ideals of the US and taking various oaths to our governmental system, can be American.
These ideas are completely meaningless to the vast majority of Americans.
It's really not surprising that "federal republic" and "liberalism" are not the terms in which the average American will define himself. back in the early 19th century there was a much stronger national identity, and Americans really defined themselves in those terms. then the Irish started coming in large numbers, and the now-suddenly-a-tiny-bit-more-diverse population started defining itself relative to other parts of the population by their differences, rather than by their similarities. note that the American population was not homogeneously British prior to this era, but it was in the earlytomid 19th century that immigration from areas other than Britain really took off and this effect started becoming dominant. And for more than a century and a half the struggle of integration into American society and nationality has been an enormous problem for hundreds of millions of people.
This is what, for instance, The Godfather is all about. take the opening scene where that guy comes to Don Corleone asking for a favor, and the Don talks about how when this man came to America he had hopes and dreams of the goodness of the American way, faith in the justice system, etc, and how it has betrayed him, and now he comes crying back to Don Corleone and says "Don Corleone, give me justice!" this is the struggle between becoming American and staying (in this case) Italian. the history of the United States being "welcoming" to immigrants is not a simple one by any means.
And there has developed in American culture consequently a strong tendecy for Americans to identify themselves relative to each other by their differences, often to the complete neglect of the ideals they might otherwise claim to share.

You were taught to be German in the samy way I was taught to be German: Germany is an ethnonation; telling us we have German blood and teaching us to speak German is teaching us to be German. that's all there is to it. the bradwurst and kraut is entirely optional.
Teaching someone to be American is much less simple, and by-and-large Americans are just not really taught to be Americans.

[deekay1]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
I always find it amazing how Americans define themselves by their heritage, sometimes going back generations...

i wanted to write a similar comment until i read your post. well put!

[deekay1]

i have both a german and an american passport (and i don't give 2 sh*ts and a f�ck wether this is leagal or not )

culturally i feel 40% american and 60% german, since that is where i grew up.

the german side of my heritage is about 20 generations germanic...

on the american part it's almost all irish american dating back to the mid 19th century (i really wanna go and visit ireland one day...though i don't have any family or cultural ties to that place, except well, my (celtic) heritage)

personally i define myself though as a anarchic citizen of the world with german and american ethnic roots, and a grave dislike for anything on the "right side of the fence"(and, yes, that includes conservativism, no matter the cultural/national origin)

[malvolio]

I am an American citizen by birth, and an ethnic Finn (all 4 grandparents were born in Suomi). The Finnish government recently created an "Expatriate Parliament" to provide representation to emigrants and their descendants, so in a sense I can claim dual citizenship.
But I dislike eating fish and I hate opera and the tango, so perhaps I'm not a very good Suomalainen.

[elzinat]

oh yeah, my national identification:
the only terminal political community i recognize is the human race.

"So to the parents of America
I am the damager aimed at little Erica
To attack her character
The ring leader of the circus of worthless pawns
Sent to lead the march right up to the steps of Congress
And piss on the lawns of the whitehouse
To burn the casket and replace it with a parental advisory sticker
To spit liquor in the faces of this democracy of hipocracy
**** you Ms Cheeney
**** you Tipper Gore
**** you with the free-este of speech this divided state of embarrasment will allow me to have
**** You"
-Eminem, "White America"

[daimoni]

.

[zilmer]

Estonian!

[scmacman]

I am the only mexican here?

[appledude83]

100% American, WASP all the way. Isn't it generic of me?

[Nai no Kami]

Argentine.
And, despite my nick, no Japanese blood pump in my veins.

BTW, I count 2 Latin Americans in the poll so far. Where is the other?

[iBabo]

i was born in Paris France. Yet im Armenian. my parents were both born in Iran, yet they are armenian, and i am armenian. their Parents were born in Iran, so were their parents, yet im Armenian. i live in Los Angeles California USA, yet i am Armenian. i can trace my last name to my grand father's grand father, who was a freedom fighter in the "khanasor" rebellions of the 1890's in eastern Anatolia. even if i dont more to armenia, my kids will be armenian.

dont give me that BS about how if your born somewhere your that countrys nationality. i will never identify myself with this country. i am not American. im not Armenian-American. i am Armenian. its sad that this society not only encourages, but in a way forces assimilation into "american-ism." im not american, nothing you say or do will make me want to be american. dont get me wrong, if you want to be American go ahead, ill pass though.

[davidflas]

Originally posted by Mulattabianca:
I am in the category for "other please specify" for both passes

I want a US passport...

I'm American, and have relatives that came over from England on the Mayflower... blah..blah who cares.

Mulattabianca, if you need a us passport, just marry me and we'll work something out!

here's a recent picture so you can see than I"m not too ugly!



I can't wait to see the reaction I get to this post!

[deekay1]

Originally posted by davidflas:
here's a recent picture so you can see than I"m not too ugly!
!

uhhhh. i think you posted the wrong picture...or something

[mark r]

Dutch

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by iBabo:
i was born in Paris France. Yet im Armenian. my parents were both born in Iran, yet they are armenian, and i am armenian. their Parents were born in Iran, so were their parents, yet im Armenian. i live in Los Angeles California USA, yet i am Armenian. i can trace my last name to my grand father's grand father, who was a freedom fighter in the "khanasor" rebellions of the 1890's in eastern Anatolia. even if i dont more to armenia, my kids will be armenian.

dont give me that BS about how if your born somewhere your that countrys nationality. i will never identify myself with this country. i am not American. im not Armenian-American. i am Armenian. its sad that this society not only encourages, but in a way forces assimilation into "american-ism." im not american, nothing you say or do will make me want to be american. dont get me wrong, if you want to be American go ahead, ill pass though.

What can I say? Apart from that I 100% disagree with you? Especially about your future kids - they will make their own decisions I shouyld hope. You're identifying yourself with a country that doesn't exist anymore. That way madness lies.

[Jan Van Boghout]

Another Belgian here. I'll finally be in Gent too next year but for now I'm stuck in Limburg (I wonder what reaction I'll get from other Belgians )

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by daimoni:


I agree in the broad sense. However, so many of my friends here in the U.S. are first-generation <insert country>... and they haven't exactly abandoned their old customs/traditions since moving here.

I do understand - I am dual nationality myself and I get confused ever now and then. Especially as both my nationalities tend to be at each other's throats most of the time. Football, anyone?

When I am in Germany I miss the UK. I miss the ease of life, the multi-layerd-ness of the language, the way old ladies call you "darling", the way cabbies call you "mate". I miss waliking into a crowded pub in winter, a fire blazing, ordering a pint of Guinness. I miss London, the big melting pot. I miss the rastafarians, the Asians, the Chinese. When I am in London, I miss Germany. The way things just work without braking down all the time. The tube in Hamburg running on time, the fact that I don't have to lock my car at night. My flat there costing me peanuts in comparison to my London home.

Today my girlfriend and myself applied for Canadian working visas. Things are going to be interesting.

[Jansar]

I said European, and then it asked me to specify. As you can see from my location, I'm Russian.

[daimoni]

.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
I always find it amazing how Americans define themselves by their heritage, sometimes going back generations.

Of course people who've been living in Chicago for 50 years aren't Irish any more. It takes more than getting pissed on St. Patrick's day and being a Michael Flatley fan to be Irish.

Pff, sounds like you haven't spent much time in Chicago then.

[milhous]

Korean and born in the USofA

[:XI:]

Human.

ok, ok I'm one of those damn brits.

OT: ever notice how americans (i want to say yanks, but they'll be offended) call us limeys (after the lime) and the aussies (do aussies get offended?) call us poms (pomme = apple in france) does the rest of the world think we're just a bunch of fruits (homosexuals)?*

*note that references to 'yanks' 'aussies' and 'homosexual' in the context of this post are not intended to single any group or individual out for ridicule or abuse.

[Mulattabianca]

where do the "being from" finish then? if i see a black guy who has lived all his life in sweden i consider him a swedish... yet he probably defines himself as swedish-something african or something african-swede.. or black american-swede. most people wait me to be 5' tall, round and with curly hair and wearing always only bikinis.. stereotypes live too much. i like countries where you find all the world - like uk, us, brazil .. so what? i'm not 5' and that dark but if that's the problem you find some else who is that.

i don0t know what i am and i don0t care. my parents defined themselves from somewhere they were born and have never lived - i have never been there. i used to define me from where i was born, never from where they think they were, but some ppl want the "true" ppl of there to be 7 generations.. cmon. i am just a bastard, no idea who was my granny and for the granny i knew, i wwould prefer not to know.. and ethnically i am probably something else from my sister as well. i have never met her dad.

i don't care. nationalities suck, the only thing with them is pass in borders without getting trouble. US pass would be great for that .. and most EU passes as well.

i dont want a dog or a cat of which i would know generations and generations back .. i would feel like a dog.

besides.. going far behind, all white people are originating from europe or asia ..