Maybe I’m just sheltered, but last night was the first time I had heard white people seriously described as “European-Americans” (although I’ve heard it before in jest). The term was used several times by District 150 Superintendent Ken Hinton at the joint city council and school board meeting.
“European-American” is not listed on the U.S. Census, but I did find an interesting article about the term on (where else?) Wikipedia. Perhaps it’s a common designation in educational research and literature.
I’m sure there are wonderful arguments for this particular appellation, but I’d prefer not to be hyphenated. There were a few days right after 9/11/01 when all the hyphens were gone, and we were all simply Americans, united as one people. That’s the way it should be.
“We will have no hyphenated Americans” –
Theodore Roosevelt.
Boy has this country gone downhill in the last hundred years.
I guess it could be worse. Ken Hinton could have been calling us Cracker-Americans.
How dare he say such a thing. We are Americans first and foremost. Blacks chose to call themselves African-Americans. Mexicans chose to call themselves Mexican-Americans and so on. I never chose to be called a European-American and seriously protest such a label. I have a son in Iraq for the third time and other children and family members who are veterans of foreign wars that fought for our freedom so we could be called AMERICANS and be free about it. I will not stand for this hyphenated label. How do the rest of you feel about this abomination?
You usually see “Americans of European extraction” in academic stuff. Most typically when talking about lactose intolerance. (As almost the only lactose TOLERANT people in the world are Europeans, and they’re more tolerant the farther north you get.) I sort of like the vision that we’ve been “extracted,” like with forceps or something, from Europe. (And then of course they talk about African, Asian, and Middle-Eastern extraction as well. It’s like we’re all tumors or something.)
Plus I’m not sure the Europeans want us. 🙂
I guess it’s sort-of tricky since sometimes you do want to have a way to discuss cultural differences in the US that are a result of immigrant background (Catholics are dealing with the merging of the older “Anglo-Irish” American Catholic Church with the newer “Latino” or “Hispanic” American Catholic Church) and race and ethnicity words always get Americans in an uproar.
And those with Native American ancestry are now called Native American-Americans?
Should I call myself a Native American-European American or an European-Native American American? Do I put my ancestry percentages in ascending or descending order to create my politically correct label? Just another way to be divide the house against itself.
In school districts that experience academic excellence with mixed ancestries, how are student populations delineated? Is the delineation only for increased funding or some other purposes?
SD: Please extend my heartfelt thank you to your son for serving! 🙂
Eyebrows: I would tend to agree with you that the Europeans do not want us!
The subject of profiling crops up continually. Using this European-American label is just another way of profiling people. We are all just Americans no matter the color, or culture. If we expect others to stop the profiling then we must do so too.
I think it is time for a return to being Americans first. I’m proud of my British Isles ancestry, but I am an American. We need to return to the attitude that we are Americans first.
What do people expect, what with the MSM repeatedly questioning whether Obama is “black” enough and the (mis?)quote of Jesse J. saying he’s acting too ‘white.’
Alas, I have not been discriminated against for the race of my people, as others have. Being a woman has been enough of a challenge in this world.
How DARE Hinton label me! I’M AN AMERICAN!!!
As someone who knows King Hinton as I do Kenny is such an intellectual phony! Every day that goes by lets him earn yet another day of double dipped pension from 150, let alone the untold benefits from the years he worked for Edison which still milks District 150. Why taxpayers and Peoria city fathers don’t yank him up by the shorts baffles me!
Gosh, was I unkind to our convalescing superintendent?…sorry, but people who are paid what King Hinton makes at least know how to use a telephone! Kenny…give it up…you are SUCH as a loser and Peoria deserves FAR BETTER than you!
^oo^~
Interesting discussion. I remember shortly after 9/11 when Tony Blair gave some very emotional, powerful speeches in support of our country. For the first time, I understood the hyphenation thing because I was proud to be a “British-American.”
But, my Quaker ancestors came to this country (some as early as the mid-17th century)to be able to practice their faith without fear of government intolerance and retribution. The more understanding I gained of my heritage, the more I knew just how very special it is to be an American.
Kat – you failed to mention the stock ownership plan that was a part of the compensation package for all Edison management personnel. Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out if Hinton still has an ownership interest, via the employee stock ownership plan, in Edison? Although the value of their stock is marginal, wouldn’t that be considered a conflict of interest and wouldn’t it have to be disclosed on Hinton’s Statement of Economic Interest he is required to file annually with the County Clerk’s Office?
I have to agree with SD, on this one. I’ve never been to Ireland, or Italy. So saying that I am an Irish-Italian American, would make me sound like an uneducated jackass, because what if I find out about ancesters from Germany 5 years from now. Then I am an Irish-Italian-German-American, and then for that matter…we should be labeled as pedigree, and stamped for authenticity.
You can just call me “American.” I’m fine with that. How ’bout I call you “American” too while were at it?