What's wrong with saying I'm American?

[North Calaveras]

Yes...they are.

as far as with not liking the word "american" they can go fuck themselves.

No, they're not. I am not pledging allegiance to Ireland when I say I'm Irish. Seriously, this isn't an issue.

pretty sure we have all kinds of people "cough palestinian immigrants" who would wave their countrys flag in the USA long before they would wave the US flag

yes it's an issue and it's disgusting how disloyal people can be to this nation. I remember the egyptian "revolution" and how many so called "egyptians" came out of the woodwork in new york waving their flags around but you wouldn't see a single one of them waving an American flag during other incidents that concerned the US.

[Islamic Emirate]

That's nonsense. Our national title is the United States, our nation's name is America. Frankly? We're the superpower of the world. Deal with it and call us what we like.

This line of thinking is why they think you're arrogant for using American as your nationality...

I sincerely couldn't care less. Mostly because I am arrogant. I fully admit it. And my country gives me that right. It isn't arrogance if you can back it up, and my country's power speaks for itself. Therefore: call us what we like.

Not to mention the fact that we pay the bills of all those countries through massive aid. Therefore, every time you insult us, you're biting the hand that feeds.

[New Werpland]

We could always annex North and South America and that issue would vanish .

I think most latins would approve this, things just can't get worse around here.

Lula and the rest of the pink tide crowd aren't half as bad as Chavismo.

[North Calaveras]

That's nonsense. Our national title is the United States, our nation's name is America. Frankly? We're the superpower of the world. Deal with it and call us what we like.

This line of thinking is why they think you're arrogant for using American as your nationality...

why should we give a crap about their opinions, especially something as trivial as that.

[Alyakia]

I was talking with some guy from colombia who went off on me when I said I was an American. He said something like everyone in the Americas is an American. I agreed but then said he wasn't asking what continent I came from but what country. Then I asked how many countries have America in their name. He didn't answer but went on about Americans being arrogant etc.

I thought I had a good point. People don't say they are from a continent. They say they are from a country. My country is America. Is there another country called America?

How many countries have America in their name? I know one.

it doesn't matter. you're still using the name of the continent as the name of your country. this is sort of a problem because said country has openly fantasized about if not outright tried to take over all of north america at least once. it reminds of the ireland/british isles situation.

[Sam Hyde]

No, they're not. I am not pledging allegiance to Ireland when I say I'm Irish. Seriously, this isn't an issue.

pretty sure we have all kinds of people "cough palestinian immigrants" who would wave their countrys flag in the USA long before they would wave the US flag

yes it's an issue and it's disgusting how disloyal people can be to this nation. I remember the egyptian "revolution" and how many so called "egyptians" came out of the woodwork in new york waving their flags around but you wouldn't see a single one of them waving an American flag during other incidents that concerned the US.

It's not so much of an issue when Arabs do it, because they exist in the US in such small numbers, so it's really irrelevant.

Now when Mexicans in the Southwest do it and start mentioning how they were "wronged" in 1846, then that raises the alarm.

[North Calaveras]

I was talking with some guy from colombia who went off on me when I said I was an American. He said something like everyone in the Americas is an American. I agreed but then said he wasn't asking what continent I came from but what country. Then I asked how many countries have America in their name. He didn't answer but went on about Americans being arrogant etc.

I thought I had a good point. People don't say they are from a continent. They say they are from a country. My country is America. Is there another country called America?

How many countries have America in their name? I know one.

it doesn't matter. you're still using the name of the continent as the name of your country. this is sort of a problem because said country has openly fantasized about if not outright tried to take over all of north america at least once. it reminds of the ireland/british isles situation.

Australia is a nation with a name of a continent...

[Islamic Emirate]

No, they're not. I am not pledging allegiance to Ireland when I say I'm Irish. Seriously, this isn't an issue.

pretty sure we have all kinds of people "cough palestinian immigrants" who would wave their countrys flag in the USA long before they would wave the US flag

yes it's an issue and it's disgusting how disloyal people can be to this nation. I remember the egyptian "revolution" and how many so called "egyptians" came out of the woodwork in new york waving their flags around but you wouldn't see a single one of them waving an American flag during other incidents that concerned the US.

Quick question: I remember you now. When did you become pro-US? You used to be the most hard core communist to ever live lol

(We used to RP together a very long time ago)

[Alyakia]

This line of thinking is why they think you're arrogant for using American as your nationality...

why should we give a crap about their opinions, especially something as trivial as that.

naming of things is not trivial

[North Calaveras]

pretty sure we have all kinds of people "cough palestinian immigrants" who would wave their countrys flag in the USA long before they would wave the US flag

yes it's an issue and it's disgusting how disloyal people can be to this nation. I remember the egyptian "revolution" and how many so called "egyptians" came out of the woodwork in new york waving their flags around but you wouldn't see a single one of them waving an American flag during other incidents that concerned the US.

It's not so much of an issue when Arabs do it, because they exist in the US in such small numbers, so it's really irrelevant.

Now when Mexicans in the Southwest do it and start mentioning how they were "wronged" in 1846, then that raises the alarm.

I'm from California, see that bullshit all the time so much for assimilation.

[Orles]

This line of thinking is why they think you're arrogant for using American as your nationality...

why should we give a crap about their opinions, especially something as trivial as that.

Because it's an easy thing to avoid, and not being an ass tends to be better for communication? "I'm from the United States" is not that hard to say.

[North Calaveras]

why should we give a crap about their opinions, especially something as trivial as that.

naming of things is not trivial

this situation is silly and trivial, we are discussing other nations butthurt of our national name

[Sam Hyde]

why should we give a crap about their opinions, especially something as trivial as that.

naming of things is not trivial

You're right. We are Americans, and calling us United Statesians is trivializing.

[North Calaveras]

why should we give a crap about their opinions, especially something as trivial as that.

Because it's an easy thing to avoid, and not being an ass tends to be better for communication? "I'm from the United States" is not that hard to say.

so it's about appeasing butthurt people...got it.

[Giovenith]

Nothing. Different places use different words, but nobody can force you to use something outside what you were brought up to use.

[Vektra]

This line of thinking is why they think you're arrogant for using American as your nationality...

I sincerely couldn't care less. Mostly because I am arrogant. I fully admit it. And my country gives me that right. It isn't arrogance if you can back it up, and my country's power speaks for itself. Therefore: call us what we like.

Not to mention the fact that we pay the bills of all those countries through massive aid. Therefore, every time you insult us, you're biting the hand that feeds.

Oh yeah, superpower? What will you do if you loose your job and you need a heart transplant?? DIE. Instead of tanks, better heal and treat the poor people of your country.

Here, doesn't matter wich economical status you have. You will have free social security, even if you are an inmigrant.

And we will call your young country without history as we please, and if you don't like it, come here and explain it to us.

[The Alma Mater]

I was talking with some guy from colombia who went off on me when I said I was an American. He said something like everyone in the Americas is an American. I agreed but then said he wasn't asking what continent I came from but what country. Then I asked how many countries have America in their name. He didn't answer but went on about Americans being arrogant etc.

I thought I had a good point. People don't say they are from a continent. They say they are from a country. My country is America. Is there another country called America?

How many countries have America in their name? I know one.

Well how the hell else does he expect us to call ourselves? "United statesiens"?

The united states of Mexico might take offense

[Alyakia]

naming of things is not trivial

this situation is silly and trivial, we are discussing other nations butthurt of our national name

why? let's suppose someone thinks you're arrogant for calling yourselves americans. and then you call their opinions silly and trivial because you decided? really showed them there.

national names do not come from no where. most of the national names i can think of that have similar problems are deliberately like that explicitly to cause shit. now you can argue over whether or not your national name is like that or just a coincidence, but the idea that it looks like it may be is not trivial.

[Orles]

Because it's an easy thing to avoid, and not being an ass tends to be better for communication? "I'm from the United States" is not that hard to say.

so it's about appeasing butthurt people...got it.

You say that like they don't have a reason to be annoyed by the United States. We haven't exactly treated South and central America well, between banana republics, funding terrorists to support our batshit insane anti-communism ideas, the arrogance of the Roosevelt Corollary....

[Sam Hyde]

And we will call your young country without history as we please, and if you don't like it, come here and explain it to us.

Our country is young, deal with it.
We have a history, just read a book for once in your life.

Stop making excuses for your ignorance.

[Imperial Esplanade]

"American" is actually the only demonym that (at least in English) typically doesn't apply to an entire continent when it can (and should)

Think about it tho. People tend to not distinguish between Senegalese, Angolans, and Somalians - what matters is that they're black, and thus "African".
Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean people are all "Asians". Indians, Persians, and maybe even Siberians are Asian too, but people usually don't consider them due to stereotyping. I'm Asian myself but from none of those ethnic groups.
Not sure why they do distinguish Europeans. Prominence of each country? Race? And I don't need to discuss Australians.

But when people say "American", they usually don't talk about Mexicans, Brazilians, Canadians, or Dominicans. Especially not Cubans.

Much of that has to do with prominence of each individual nation.

The most prominent nation in the Americas is the United States, and it doesn't hurt given those within the US refer to themselves as "Americans" either. Keep in mind that aside from Mexico and Canada, there's vehement disdain for perceived "US imperialism" in the Americas. Hence why they tend to hate the label of "Americans" being championed by the citizens of the US.

For Europeans, those nations tend to be VERY prominent and have had vast cultural and historical influence in just about every nation on Earth - and many Europeans also have distinct characteristics as well.

Africa and Asia? Eh, not so much. Much of those regions are more collectively influential as opposed to individually, unless you're talking about Russia, China, or Japan. Most of Africa and Asia tend to be ethnically similar anyway, making any distinguishments to caucasian societies futile.

[Sam Hyde]

this situation is silly and trivial, we are discussing other nations butthurt of our national name

why? let's suppose someone thinks you're arrogant for calling yourselves americans. and then you call their opinions silly and trivial because you decided? really showed them there.

national names do not come from no where. most of the national names i can think of that have similar problems are deliberately like that explicitly to cause shit. now you can argue over whether or not your national name is like that or just a coincidence, but the idea that it looks like it may be is not trivial.

Except our national name is "America".

[Vektra]

We have a history

Yeah, sure, whatever

[Bezombia]

Yes but we don't mean it in that sense. When we say it, it means our ancestors are from these places and are ethnically X Y or Z. You can't really be 'ethnically' American, except for the Indians (which is ironic that I'm making the statement, given that I'm half Native American, being Cherokee and Seminole lol).

but that's the problem isn't it? it's a bad habit and is incorrect because it implies nationality that is not yours.

You seem to be uninformed as to how nationalism works.

You see, in Europe, the majority of sovereign countries are nation-states (unrelated to this forum) - in other words, the legitimacy of the country is based on the "nation", which is made up of its people. In other other words, the countries have a generally single "identity" with a physical base, upon which the nation-state draws its legitimacy.
In other other other words: "Germany for the Germans, France for the French, England for the English," etc.

America doesn't have that. There is no real American "nation" of people - we're called the melting pot for a reason. American culture is just a conglomeration of cultures from other places. There is no physical base for an "American" nationality, just like there's no such thing as a "United Kingdomian" nationalist or an "Antarctican" nationality.

Because of that, the only "identifying" physical base of someone of American nationality is of what physical nationality said base derives from. Someone who was born in Germany and is German does not suddenly stop being German when they leave the country. Likewise, from a physical standpoint their children (presuming, of course, that the other parent was also German) will still be physically German, even if they were born in America.
So because there is no physical American nationality, the 2nd-generation German immigrant will say that he is "German" because that's what actually identifies him. You can get all egalitarian and say that he's technically American as he was born in America, and you'd probably be right - but that's like saying that someone born in France isn't French, he's "European" because he was born in the EU. From an objective standpoint it makes perfect sense, but nationalism is not objective and cannot be measured as such.

Furthermore, it's worth noting that European "nation-states" are just that - nation-states. Someone born outside the "state" can still be a part of the "nation", and someone born outside the "nation" can still be a part of the "state". That's why the 2nd generation German immigrant would still be referred to as a German-American (German being the nation, i.e. what's in his blood, and American being the state, i.e. what's under his boots).
In Europe, this is not a thing because the nations are so clearly delineated that it would never be an issue.

If anything, there's more nationalism regarding the individual states than there is the country as a whole. And because said nationalism is not based on a physical nation, only the "state" part actually becomes "American".

The core of the issue here, to recap, is that nationalism is based only upon the existence of a nation, and not upon the existence of a nation-state. This is why you can be nationally Irish even if you've never set foot in Ireland. It's also why, for example, someone born in Northern Ireland could accurately be referred to as "British" even though Northern Ireland does not exist on the island of Great Britain.

[North Calaveras]

We have a history

Yeah, sure, whatever

real funny till you realize a good portion of that history is owning yours through the cold war