Comments on: My Brother’s Keeper http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/ Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:49:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ashtony http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66311 Ashtony Sat, 18 Feb 2006 06:04:25 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66311 Recently, in a Business Law class I'm taking, the teacher lectured the almost entirely black class about "knowing your roots." This teacher is an interesting lady and everything, and very smart, but I couldn't help but mentally giggle when she said, "In Africa, black people don't kill each other," as though black-on-black violence is PURELY an American phenomenon. I kept my big, white mouth shut, though. XD There is plenty in value in making/suggesting that black students study African history, but I think a lot of that value may be exaggerated. Most American blacks have no idea which country, let alone region, in Africa their ancestors came from, and to apply your family and cultural roots to an entire continent is quite the stretch. That's one of the troubles with people talking about Africa as though it's a country--one can't simply start listing off "African values" as though such a thing exists. Africa is HUGE. P.S. As long as I'm talking about strange racial school stories, I may as well mention the time someone (who happened to be black) asked a teacher about the "African Language." *coughthereisnosuchlanguageas'african'cough* Recently, in a Business Law class I’m taking, the teacher lectured the almost entirely black class about “knowing your roots.” This teacher is an interesting lady and everything, and very smart, but I couldn’t help but mentally giggle when she said, “In Africa, black people don’t kill each other,” as though black-on-black violence is PURELY an American phenomenon.

I kept my big, white mouth shut, though. XD

There is plenty in value in making/suggesting that black students study African history, but I think a lot of that value may be exaggerated. Most American blacks have no idea which country, let alone region, in Africa their ancestors came from, and to apply your family and cultural roots to an entire continent is quite the stretch. That’s one of the troubles with people talking about Africa as though it’s a country–one can’t simply start listing off “African values” as though such a thing exists. Africa is HUGE.

P.S. As long as I’m talking about strange racial school stories, I may as well mention the time someone (who happened to be black) asked a teacher about the “African Language.”

*coughthereisnosuchlanguageas’african’cough*

]]> By: Andy http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66309 Andy Sat, 18 Feb 2006 00:16:58 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66309 I've lived in Ghana during Nkrumah's rise to and fall from power, in Nigeria during the Biafran War and Ivory Coast where my a couple of classmates/dorm-mates turned out to be the kids of Biafra 'rebel' leader Ojukuwo. Generally speaking, 'African-Americans' in living in Africa fall under three categories: boot-lickers/carpetbaggers (evil), Marxist idealists (intellectually stupid/morally bankrupt) or teachers -- teachers as in teaching a man to fish/fishers of men. I really think it would do a lot of good if it were part of a mandatory high school requirement that one spends a year in a 3rd world country, before coming back to finish HS. In HS you can impress them while they're really young, plus helping them to focus on a career direction, altho, as part of college curriculum would work -- either being better than none. For sure, we would see the following benefits: 1) edumacation elites laughed out of their ivory towers 2) Jesse and other victicrats laughed out of their race-baiting 3) liberal elites laughed out of their limousines and GVs 4) black kids acting white with relish & fervor and working on developing the content of their character 5) best of all, folks like Cobra seeing the light that this is not a racist country holding back people, rather the racism of individuals holding themselves back. As for Clinton. If Slick Willy really felt for Africa as America's Black president, he would have promoted this sort of help as opposed to the mealy-mouthed 'I feel your pain', before scurrying off to the next media blitz. I’ve lived in Ghana during Nkrumah’s rise to and fall from power, in Nigeria during the Biafran War and Ivory Coast where my a couple of classmates/dorm-mates turned out to be the kids of Biafra ‘rebel’ leader Ojukuwo.

Generally speaking, ‘African-Americans’ in living in Africa fall under three categories: boot-lickers/carpetbaggers (evil), Marxist idealists (intellectually stupid/morally bankrupt) or teachers — teachers as in teaching a man to fish/fishers of men.

I really think it would do a lot of good if it were part of a mandatory high school requirement that one spends a year in a 3rd world country, before coming back to finish HS. In HS you can impress them while they’re really young, plus helping them to focus on a career direction, altho, as part of college curriculum would work — either being better than none.

For sure, we would see the following benefits:
1) edumacation elites laughed out of their ivory towers
2) Jesse and other victicrats laughed out of their race-baiting
3) liberal elites laughed out of their limousines and GVs
4) black kids acting white with relish & fervor and working on developing the content of their character
5) best of all, folks like Cobra seeing the light that this is not a racist country holding back people, rather the racism of individuals holding themselves back.

As for Clinton. If Slick Willy really felt for Africa as America’s Black president, he would have promoted this sort of help as opposed to the mealy-mouthed ‘I feel your pain’, before scurrying off to the next media blitz.

]]> By: Pensees http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66305 Pensees Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:29:38 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66305 <strong>African American? Really? Get Real.</strong> La Shawn Barber touched on a subject that hits a nerve with me when she commented on the American Black’s fascination with Africa. My daughter, wife, and I enjoy watching re-runs of the Cosby Show, but I always get a... African American? Really? Get Real.

La Shawn Barber touched on a subject that hits a nerve with me when she commented on the American Black’s fascination with Africa. My daughter, wife, and I enjoy watching re-runs of the Cosby Show, but I always get a…

]]> By: Shade http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66276 Shade Thu, 16 Feb 2006 20:16:39 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66276 <i>Stereotypes aren’t the same as myths or urban legends, by the way; they’re based on facts.</i> I must respectfully disagree with this. Stereotypes are based on assumptions. If a young black woman who is not and has never been on any type of government assistance is stereotyped as being a welfare receipient, her history of never having been on government assistance makes the stereotype based on non-facts. White Republicans are often stereotyped as being Confederate flag waving racists, yet to stereotype a white Republican who doesn't have a racist bone in his body this way is stereotyping him or her based on untruths. <em>A stereotype is an oversimplified generalization, and the assumptions are based on facts. Blacks are overrepresented on the welfare rolls. If someone assumes an unmarried black woman with five kids, no husband, living in a low-income neighborhood, and is at home during the day is on the government dole, it's a reasonable assumption. She may be a widow or divorcee too proud for welfare who works nights, or is supported by her family. Or she could be on welfare. - Admin</em> Stereotypes aren’t the same as myths or urban legends, by the way; they’re based on facts.

I must respectfully disagree with this. Stereotypes are based on assumptions. If a young black woman who is not and has never been on any type of government assistance is stereotyped as being a welfare receipient, her history of never having been on government assistance makes the stereotype based on non-facts. White Republicans are often stereotyped as being Confederate flag waving racists, yet to stereotype a white Republican who doesn’t have a racist bone in his body this way is stereotyping him or her based on untruths.

A stereotype is an oversimplified generalization, and the assumptions are based on facts. Blacks are overrepresented on the welfare rolls. If someone assumes an unmarried black woman with five kids, no husband, living in a low-income neighborhood, and is at home during the day is on the government dole, it’s a reasonable assumption. She may be a widow or divorcee too proud for welfare who works nights, or is supported by her family. Or she could be on welfare. – Admin

]]> By: Montie http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66267 Montie Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:50:49 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66267 La Shawn, Keith Richburg's account reminds me of what I was told by a female friend after she spent a month in Africa with her church group. Now, this lady is a college administrator with a PhD, and very liberal so what she said surprised me. Like Richburg she saw a lot that made her thankful to be an American. Also like Richburg she started off her story to me of her African experiences with "This might shock you a little but...". Basically she was grateful that her ancestors were brought to this country. She was sorry for the hardships they undoubtedly endured, and wished that the circumstances had been different for them, but felt that if they were watching out from above over their descendants, that they would be comforted in the long run for how things turned out, versus how things would have been. La Shawn,

Keith Richburg’s account reminds me of what I was told by a female friend after she spent a month in Africa with her church group. Now, this lady is a college administrator with a PhD, and very liberal so what she said surprised me.

Like Richburg she saw a lot that made her thankful to be an American. Also like Richburg she started off her story to me of her African experiences with “This might shock you a little but…”. Basically she was grateful that her ancestors were brought to this country. She was sorry for the hardships they undoubtedly endured, and wished that the circumstances had been different for them, but felt that if they were watching out from above over their descendants, that they would be comforted in the long run for how things turned out, versus how things would have been.

]]> By: Idiongo Udoh http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66265 Idiongo Udoh Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:26:34 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66265 Lashawn is right on point when she says that she cannot identify herself as an African-American.Different cultures have different ways of identification. At times you come from where you were born at.In some cultures you come from where either your Dad or Mom came from. Some cultures still identify with their ancestral origins.It is up to the individual to determine where he or she originates from. In an attempt to show the American system that they acknowledge the fact that are regarded as being "different" and that they are different based on history the term African American came into being.I feel that the term is not wrong when you consider that historically all people that were black could trace their origins back to Africa.Just like we have Chinese-Americans,Japanese-Americans etc.President Ronald Reagan was even identiied as an Irish-American. So the term African American is not so wrong. It is interesting to note that African-Americans at times could be ruthlessly racist in nature. You see this manifest in their lack of patience with the newly arrived african with a thick accent that does not speak ebonics. You see this when they fail to understand that our colonial rulers were european and so we speak english and "sound white". Then there is the problem of African-Americans still identifying the Africans as the financial counterparts of the slave dealers in the mist of time. Sometimes the African American just cannot hide his disdain and disrespect for the culture of the african and could be real quick to demonstrate,"The-jungle man-has-just-arrived-in-america-attitude" The average African also loses respect for the African-American counterpart when they percieve or mistakenly judge that there is a warped sense of freedom(Based on the value system of the Africans) and that there is the embracing of strife and the vice of life that is so predominant in the black community.For example, too many single mothers,drug use,drug peddling,high rate of black men in the prisons,HIV,acts of violence by the men on their wives and the joblessness or percieved irresponsibility of the average black man. The Africans also percieve the average African-American woman as being very fiery,confrontational and a little bit too outspoken for their own good and highly materialistic and that they have no morals and they have driven their men into a life of crime to support their needs. Africans feel that the African-American has enourmous opportunity and resources at their disposal in this country and that he refused to take advantage and rather would live the role of the person that has given up and become lazy, preoccupied with clubbing and refuses to grow up mentally ,looking for Caucasian women to pay their bills. Like one African friend put it,"All they want to be is either a rapper or a basketball/Football player.In that statement I understood that the African didn't understand the culture and so they judged it.Then I have seen the Africans flaunt the,"I-work-hard-get-a-education-and-I-am-successful-attitude" with bad results for the relationship. In my opinion both sides show disappointment for each other when they realize that they are not similar but very different in cultures and attitudes.Both sides have to work in unison with patience to understand each other and work together for the common good. I have been a witness to successful collaborations between the two groups.The success is mind-blowing. Lashawn is right on point when she says that she cannot identify herself as an African-American.Different cultures have different ways of identification.
At times you come from where you were born at.In some cultures you come from where either your Dad or Mom came from. Some cultures still identify with their ancestral origins.It is up to the individual to determine where he or she originates from.
In an attempt to show the American system that they acknowledge the fact that are regarded as being “different” and that they are different based on history the term African American came into being.I feel that the term is not wrong when you consider that historically all people that were black could trace their origins back to Africa.Just like we have Chinese-Americans,Japanese-Americans etc.President Ronald Reagan was even identiied as an Irish-American.
So the term African American is not so wrong.
It is interesting to note that African-Americans at times could be ruthlessly racist in nature.
You see this manifest in their lack of patience with the newly arrived african with a thick accent that does not speak ebonics.
You see this when they fail to understand that our colonial rulers were european and so we speak english and “sound white”. Then there is the problem of African-Americans still identifying the Africans as the financial counterparts of the slave dealers in the mist of time.
Sometimes the African American just cannot hide his disdain and disrespect for the culture of the african and could be real quick to demonstrate,”The-jungle man-has-just-arrived-in-america-attitude”
The average African also loses respect for the African-American counterpart when they percieve or mistakenly judge that there is a warped sense of freedom(Based on the value system of the Africans) and that there is the embracing of strife and the vice of life that is so predominant in the black community.For example, too many single mothers,drug use,drug peddling,high rate of black men in the prisons,HIV,acts of violence by the men on their wives and the joblessness or percieved irresponsibility of the average black man. The Africans also percieve the average African-American woman as being very fiery,confrontational and a little bit too outspoken for their own good and highly materialistic and that they have no morals and they have driven their men into a life of crime to support their needs.
Africans feel that the African-American has enourmous opportunity and resources at their disposal in this country and that he refused to take advantage and rather would live the role of the person that has given up and become lazy, preoccupied with clubbing and refuses to grow up mentally ,looking for Caucasian women to pay their bills.
Like one African friend put it,”All they want to be is either a rapper or a basketball/Football player.In that statement I understood that the African didn’t understand the culture and so they judged it.Then I have seen the Africans flaunt the,”I-work-hard-get-a-education-and-I-am-successful-attitude” with bad results for the relationship.
In my opinion both sides show disappointment for each other when they realize that they are not similar but very different in cultures and attitudes.Both sides have to work in unison with patience to understand each other and work together for the common good. I have been a witness to successful collaborations between the two groups.The success is mind-blowing.

]]> By: Cobra http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66211 Cobra Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:30:15 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66211 Heliotrope writes: >>>"Many “Asian-Americans” don’t like being lumped together because “they all look alike” to some people. Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Thais, etc. have very different histories and some of their histories include bitter experiences with one another. If you don’t like calling them Americans, then at least hyphenate them with their country or origin." And I'll be just as friendly back. I fully understand that many people are sensitive to being "lumped together", or the "they all look alike" syndrome. People of African ancestry know this well. That's why I don't know what the big deal is about the term "African-American". If it's about skin tone, heck, Sammy Sosa is darker in complexion than Condolezza Rice, yet only ONE is considered "black." --Cobra Heliotrope writes:

>>>”Many “Asian-Americans” don’t like being lumped together because “they all look alike” to some people. Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Thais, etc. have very different histories and some of their histories include bitter experiences with one another. If you don’t like calling them Americans, then at least hyphenate them with their country or origin.”

And I’ll be just as friendly back. I fully understand that many people are sensitive to being “lumped together”, or the “they all look alike” syndrome. People of African ancestry know this well. That’s why I don’t know what the big deal is about the term “African-American”. If it’s about skin tone, heck, Sammy Sosa is darker in complexion than Condolezza Rice, yet only ONE is considered “black.”

–Cobra

]]> By: suek http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66159 suek Wed, 15 Feb 2006 17:13:33 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66159 >>...at the root of American possibilities was a culture of freedom and an old-fashioned work ethic innate with those who take responsibility for their own lives.>> At the root of American possibilities is the right of private property ownership. When the government can seize your property without your consent, there's simply no way to get ahead. That's why the Kelo decision was so disastrous. It's one thing to have property taken for the public use, it's another to have property taken and given over to another private property so that the governing body can collect higher taxes. >>…at the root of American possibilities was a culture of freedom and an old-fashioned work ethic innate with those who take responsibility for their own lives.>>

At the root of American possibilities is the right of private property ownership. When the government can seize your property without your consent, there’s simply no way to get ahead.
That’s why the Kelo decision was so disastrous. It’s one thing to have property taken for the public use, it’s another to have property taken and given over to another private property so that the governing body can collect higher taxes.

]]> By: Bev http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66158 Bev Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:23:40 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66158 I was captivated with Dr. Henry Louis Gates series on PBS. I have never been to an African country. Accounts from friends and acquaintances whom have visited and/or lived in African countries have been loving to horrible. I do think about going to the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana or Nigeria) as a short-term missionary. Bev PS.. The one who loved it had been a missionary in the bush country in the Ivory Coast for almost 30 years. I was captivated with Dr. Henry Louis Gates series
on PBS. I have never been to an African country.
Accounts from friends and acquaintances whom have visited and/or lived in African countries
have been loving to horrible. I do think about going to the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana or Nigeria) as a short-term missionary.

Bev

PS.. The one who loved it had been a missionary
in the bush country in the Ivory Coast for
almost 30 years.

]]> By: trying to grok http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66157 trying to grok Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:56:02 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66157 <strong>BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK</strong> My college roommate senior year was black. She was a nice enough girl, but we had Culture Clash on more than one occasion. One of the most disheartening things I ever witnessed was her relationship with an African student. Not... BETWEEN WHITE AND BLACK

My college roommate senior year was black. She was a nice enough girl, but we had Culture Clash on more than one occasion. One of the most disheartening things I ever witnessed was her relationship with an African student. Not…

]]> By: Dave in AZ http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66156 Dave in AZ Wed, 15 Feb 2006 15:17:02 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66156 Maybe there's something wrong with me. I couldn't care less what my ancestry is or, that my wife's skin color is the opposite of mine or, what anyone should happen to think about it. Maybe there’s something wrong with me. I couldn’t care less what my ancestry is or, that my wife’s skin color is the opposite of mine or, what anyone should happen to think about it.

]]> By: Hull http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66155 Hull Wed, 15 Feb 2006 14:55:02 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66155 And are we going to start calling China Town in Washington DC American Town? How about the Irish Pub? Should we call that the American Pub now? Little Italy? That says Little America to me. Henry Louis Gates has a great series running on PBS this month which traces several prominent African-Americans' geneologies. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/profile_gates.html "In this series, I take eight prominent African Americans -- Dr. Ben Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Mae Jemison, Quincy Jones, Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Chris Tucker and Oprah Winfrey -- and trace their family trees, as well as my own, using all available documents going back deep into slavery. Once the paper trail has been exhausted, we then do their DNA analysis to determine where their ancestors came from in AFRICA. The series really shows how rich the stories of average African Americans are. We've extracted compelling stories about individuals who in some cases could barely read and write. These stories are as rich as the stories of Booker T. Washington or Frederick Douglass or W.E.B. Du Bois or Marcus Garvey. This is another way of telling history, and a way that everyone can respond to." -Gates Shockingly, none of the participants ancestries trace back to America as their origin. When I meet people and I ask them what their name is I call them what they tell me they want to be called. I generally don't decide, "that name is silly, so I'm going to call you what I think you should be called." To me, attempting to dictate what someone should call themselves is one of the highest forms of hubris. And are we going to start calling China Town in Washington DC American Town?

How about the Irish Pub? Should we call that the American Pub now?

Little Italy? That says Little America to me.

Henry Louis Gates has a great series running on PBS this month which traces several prominent African-Americans’ geneologies.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/profile_gates.html

“In this series, I take eight prominent African Americans — Dr. Ben Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Mae Jemison, Quincy Jones, Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Chris Tucker and Oprah Winfrey — and trace their family trees, as well as my own, using all available documents going back deep into slavery. Once the paper trail has been exhausted, we then do their DNA analysis to determine where their ancestors came from in AFRICA. The series really shows how rich the stories of average African Americans are. We’ve extracted compelling stories about individuals who in some cases could barely read and write. These stories are as rich as the stories of Booker T. Washington or Frederick Douglass or W.E.B. Du Bois or Marcus Garvey. This is another way of telling history, and a way that everyone can respond to.” -Gates

Shockingly, none of the participants ancestries trace back to America as their origin.

When I meet people and I ask them what their name is I call them what they tell me they want to be called. I generally don’t decide, “that name is silly, so I’m going to call you what I think you should be called.”

To me, attempting to dictate what someone should call themselves is one of the highest forms of hubris.

]]> By: Doug http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66154 Doug Wed, 15 Feb 2006 14:40:31 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66154 La Shawn, I am proud to be a Norwegian-Swedish-Danish-Finlander-German-Irish-Scottish-English-French Canadian-American. My grandfather was a traveling salesman. Will Africa as a continent ever forgive the US for Bill Clinton, who is taking up African relief efforts to show 'he feels their pain?' I know he wants Kofi Annan's job; he's following the patented Liberal guidebook-find people in need -any people-then get in front of a camera and exploit their plight. Denounce the United States for not doing enough, and President Bush because he's still President Bush. If he (and everyone else) wants to end hunger in Africa--expose and depose the corrupt governments of the countries who keep the people starving so that the relief money keeps rolling in. I can't help if this sounds cynical-study the situation and ask yourself why people are still starving after decades of relief organizations working to make populations self sufficient. And notice that some African countries just last year had billions of dollars of debt "forgiven"...again. La Shawn, I am proud to be a Norwegian-Swedish-Danish-Finlander-German-Irish-Scottish-English-French Canadian-American. My grandfather was a traveling salesman.
Will Africa as a continent ever forgive the US for Bill Clinton, who is taking up African relief efforts to show ‘he feels their pain?’ I know he wants Kofi Annan’s job; he’s following the patented Liberal guidebook-find people in need -any people-then get in front of a camera and exploit their plight. Denounce the United States for not doing enough, and President Bush because he’s still President Bush.
If he (and everyone else) wants to end hunger in Africa–expose and depose the corrupt governments of the countries who keep the people starving so that the relief money keeps rolling in. I can’t help if this sounds cynical-study the situation and ask yourself why people are still starving
after decades of relief organizations working to make populations self sufficient. And notice that some African countries just last year had billions of dollars of debt “forgiven”…again.

]]> By: Heliotrope http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66152 Heliotrope Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:48:48 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66152 #30 Cobra: Just a friendly hint--- Many "Asian-Americans" don't like being lumped together because "they all look alike" to some people. Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Thais, etc. have very different histories and some of their histories include bitter experiences with one another. If you don't like calling them Americans, then at least hyphenate them with their country or origin. Why don't we use the shorthand of "European-American" or "South-American" American? And then there is the tired old complaint that people from the US have no right to claim the two American continents. Fine. Let's call ourselves United States of America Americans. And blacks could be African-United States of America Americans. Of course, you might not like being lumped in with the "red states" so we could have African-United States of America Blue States American. #30 Cobra:

Just a friendly hint—

Many “Asian-Americans” don’t like being lumped together because “they all look alike” to some people. Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Thais, etc. have very different histories and some of their histories include bitter experiences with one another. If you don’t like calling them Americans, then at least hyphenate them with their country or origin.

Why don’t we use the shorthand of “European-American” or “South-American” American? And then there is the tired old complaint that people from the US have no right to claim the two American continents. Fine. Let’s call ourselves United States of America Americans. And blacks could be African-United States of America Americans. Of course, you might not like being lumped in with the “red states” so we could have African-United States of America Blue States American.

]]> By: RedBeard http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/14/my-brothers-keeper/comment-page-1/#comment-66151 RedBeard Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:47:46 +0000 http://lashawnbarber.com/?p=1824#comment-66151 Due to being roughly half Irish in ancestry, I've ventured onto a few Irish discussion sites, mainly for genealogical reasons. Got to know quite a few great folks in Ireland. One thing that universally amuses all of them is the use of the term "Irish-American" by folks here who have never even seen Ireland. My Irish friends consider such terminology to be absolutely ridiculous. I tend to agree with them, so I claim to be a Nebraskan-American. ;-) Due to being roughly half Irish in ancestry, I’ve ventured onto a few Irish discussion sites, mainly for genealogical reasons. Got to know quite a few great folks in Ireland. One thing that universally amuses all of them is the use of the term “Irish-American” by folks here who have never even seen Ireland. My Irish friends consider such terminology to be absolutely ridiculous. I tend to agree with them, so I claim to be a Nebraskan-American. ;-)

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