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Thread: Chinese Americans are not Chinese

  1. #61
    Senior Member Wanlie Tong's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KChill View Post
    White Americans are never referred to as Euro-Americans, they're just Americans, and they don't bother giving you their actual country of origin.
    While people don't generally refer to themselves as Euro-American I find that people do generally identify themselves as Italian-American, Irish-American, ect. Even in my case if someone asks I identify myself as Danish even though my ancenstors originated from at least four different countries.

  2. #62
    Senior Member xJadedx's Avatar
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    I think Caucasians who come from parts of Europe other than Britain tend to identify themselves more with their ethnicity. The people who usually classify themselves as "White" tend to be those from Britain, at least in my experience. Anyone with another European background (i.e. Italian, Polish, German, Swedish, etc.) will make a point of saying that they are from those places rather than just saying that they are "White."
    Last edited by xJadedx; 07-26-09 at 05:38 PM.
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  3. #63
    Senior Member Wanlie Tong's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaded WenEr View Post
    I think Caucasians who come from central Europe tend to identify themselves more with their ethnicity. The people who usually classify themselves as "White" tend to be those from Britain, at least in my experience. Anyone with a central European background (i.e. Italian, Polish, German, Swedish, etc.) will make a point of saying that they are from those places rather than just saying that they are "White."

    Neither Sweden nor Italy are in Cental Europe. That aside, I think identification with the motherland has more to do with being non-British and the fact that the British discriminated against virtually everyone else who came to the U.S. after them including Germans and Italians both on religious grounds and country of origin, which to a certain extent went hand in hand. (Think of the "no dogs or Irish allowed signs" from the 19th century.)

    Also, I don't think I have ever heard a person just say they are "white".

  4. #64
    Senior Member xJadedx's Avatar
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    Fair enough. I guess I was trying to say that people who come from parts of Europe other than Britain. I do know that Sweden is part of Scandinavia rather than "central" Europe, and Italy is in the south. Anyway, I edited my original post for clarification.

    When I said people "saying" they are just "White," I was more thinking along examples of when you do types of research that involves people putting down demographic information. In those cases, I usually notice that those who are not from Britain tend to identify with their ethnicity more (i.e., they will specify that they are Italian, Polish, etc.), whereas those from Britain don't mind being classified as just "White" or "Caucasian."
    Last edited by xJadedx; 07-26-09 at 05:54 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wanlie Tong View Post
    While people don't generally refer to themselves as Euro-American I find that people do generally identify themselves as Italian-American, Irish-American, ect. Even in my case if someone asks I identify myself as Danish even though my ancenstors originated from at least four different countries.
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    Agree to a certain extent but the right statement should be "Chinese Americans who are completely bananas are no longer Chinese, save their physical appearance."

    And believe me, I've seen many of them who not only can no longer speak any Chinese dialects but despise anything Chinese.
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  7. #67
    Senior Member Trinie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chickenfeet View Post
    Agree to a certain extent but the right statement should be "Chinese Americans who are completely bananas are no longer Chinese, save their physical appearance."

    And believe me, I've seen many of them who not only can no longer speak any Chinese dialects but despise anything Chinese.
    I think it depends on the person since most of the Chinese americans that I have ran into are really proud to be "Chinese". I once met this one guy who was 3rd generation Chinese but was always really proud to be Chinese even though he can no longer speak it. He said that he would to go to school to learn it....
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  8. #68
    Senior Member mind_wander's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trinie View Post
    I think it depends on the person since most of the Chinese americans that I have ran into are really proud to be "Chinese". I once met this one guy who was 3rd generation Chinese but was always really proud to be Chinese even though he can no longer speak it. He said that he would to go to school to learn it....
    I do agree with you, although I am Chinese American can still speak some Chinese. It depends on the person of course, if he/she wants to learn their heritage or just plain ignore it.
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  9. #69
    Senior Member Wanlie Tong's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KChill View Post
    Southern Whites do NOT. Trust me, I know.
    How far south are you talking about? I lived in Louisiana for a couple of years, if you are talking about the deep south I would probably say you have a point.
    Last edited by Wanlie Tong; 08-01-09 at 12:31 PM.

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    Senior Member Canuck21's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaded WenEr View Post
    Fair enough. I guess I was trying to say that people who come from parts of Europe other than Britain. I do know that Sweden is part of Scandinavia rather than "central" Europe, and Italy is in the south. Anyway, I edited my original post for clarification.

    When I said people "saying" they are just "White," I was more thinking along examples of when you do types of research that involves people putting down demographic information. In those cases, I usually notice that those who are not from Britain tend to identify with their ethnicity more (i.e., they will specify that they are Italian, Polish, etc.), whereas those from Britain don't mind being classified as just "White" or "Caucasian."
    Those from Britain are called WASP, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. They were the founders of The United States so to this day they are the default Americans. In reality though, I think they're in the minority now. Just look at people's last names, there are all kinds of different origins. Let's take say... Bush. It is not an English name, it is clearly of German origin. Kennedy is Irish. Roosevelt is Dutch. Eisenhower, can you sound more German than that? Let's not even comment on Obama. The thing is, most Americans have Anglicized names. True Brits are quite rare now.

    You know what's ironic? The British Royal family is not even English; on both Prince Philip's and Queen Elizabeth's sides they're all German. Prince Philip's last name is Battenberg. During the First World War, the English people complained that their Royal family was not real English so they Anglicized the name. The word "berg" is German for mountain so they changed it to Mountbatten. Prince Charles's dear great uncle, Viceroy of India, is Louis Mountbatten. Oh the deception. On the Queen's side, she is of the House of Winsor, but that is a branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a German noble family.

    If this Royal family can call themselves English, than I am as much Canadian as the white-looking guy with an Anglicized Russian name Smirnoff.
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    I am a Singapore born Chinese, I think I am Chinese. ^^
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    Consider yourself lucky that you can understand the best of both worlds. Many ABC can't fully appreciate the Chinese culture, and FOB can't fully appreciate the English culture. But you are in a situation where you can. You can associate yourself with any side you like, why have a definitive side? I am Chinese who went to Australia when I was 7. It's true at times I feel that I am neither here or there, but if I really wanted to, I can be here AND there. I often joke with my white friends that if the Chinese are under attack, I am Australian because I have an Australian passport, but if Australia was under attack, then I'm Chinese because I look the part!

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    Well, I have been in Australia since 4. People ask me what nationality I am, and I reply "I'm Australian". But they then say, "Well, OK, but not really."
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