Yes

by Dee Holder

Created on: December 06, 2009

When I first moved to the states I was so irritated with filling in racial information on forms. The only choice that fit me was African-American, but at that time I was neither American, nor African I was black. Now at least half of that equation is correct. I didn't understand at that time why it was important for black Americans to have that hyphenated ethnicity. I now know better. After being exposed to American culture I saw that other groups had hyphens and it did not seem to bother anyone, there were Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Jewish Americans, German Americans and so on. There never seemed any issue with those identities.

But blacks, unlike many other groups did not come here willingly, they were brought here in the most horrific circumstances. Many lost any ties to ancestors and were the only group that did not have a hypen to add to their name. The decision to call themselves African-Americans was an attempt to reclaim an identity that has been forced on them from the outside.

Why is the title of this assignment not "Can't Irish-Americans, Italian Americans, etc., just be called Americans". There is a suggestion in the current way the title is worded that it is 'more' wrong for minority, brown skinned groups to identify with their roots. That their doing this is somehow threatening to the majority culture which often celebrates their hyphenated status with festivals and parades.

Basically the question boils down to why can't they ignore their real identity and become more like us that would make us so much more comfortable, why do they have to have an identity anyway?

The last part of the question is an interesting one. It is funny that in this context, minority Americans are suddenly Americans but in others they really are not considered 'real' Americans. I was reminded of this as I watched the US OPEN tennis competition in New York this year. America has two amazing athletes at the top of that sport, yet when you hear the commentators speak you would never know it. American commentators often praise other athelets from other countries more than the two top American tennis players, who happen to arguably be the top two tennis players in the world.

American commentators fawn over Russian tennis stars, Belgian ones, Swiss and even a french one, hoping that one day they will actually beat the two Americans who have dominated the sport for years. There is almost disappointment that these two young ladies, have done so well for so long. "Why won't they just go away?", you almost hear them say. Why don't we have some 'real' Americans doing so well?

This year they almost got one, and they were just so estatic, Melanie Oudin they all gushed finally an American doing well! Er, we mean a real American... er we mean a different new American is doing well. Thus I find it interesting that many ask "Why can't they just be American?" and in the next breath go on to explain why these groups are not 'real' Americans.

What a group wants to call themselves is entirely up to that group. If Chinese Americans wish to celebrate their rich and wonderful heritage they should be able to just like the Irish Americans. If Hispanic Americans wish to call themselves that why on earth should they not be able to. There is no suggestion that Irish Americans are any less American, or any resentment for them hyphenating their heritage, why should that be different for other communities.

America has a wonderful diversity of cultures and this is something to be celebrated. I have learned so many wonderful things about different cultures from Americans that have come from all over the world. There is nothing to be afraid of if people celebrate and enjoy their rich heritages. In a society that is primarily run by white America which often ignores other cultures, this is often an important way for minority children to learn to love and respect themselves.

When America learns to consider all Americans regardless of culture, race and national origin as 'real' Americans then I think the whole issue of hyphenated Americans would dissipate. Minority Americans would not feel the need to have a strong cultural identity as the American culture would celebrate the value of all American and Americans belonging to the majority would enjoy learning about the different cultures and would not care about the hyphenated status.

The amusing thing is that we are all Americans until a crime has been committed by a minority and then all of a sudden that person is not really American the suddenly become hyphen Americans. When Casta Semenya was humiliated by the sporting media, South Africa stood up for her, they denounced the ill treatment and stood by her 100%. She was after all South African.

When Amanda Knox is accused and convicted of killing another girl (and falsely accusing a black man of the crime), the American media calls her an American, and still provides moral support. But when Serena Williams looses it after years of impeccable behavior on the courts, the ones that howl loudest for her to be punished, to be banned are Americans.

An Australian official provided more support to her in these weeks than any American ones have... you have to wonder, and perhaps you don't, perhaps it explains the importance of a silly hyphen.

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