Tired of constantly having conversations like this:
“Where are you from?”
“USA”
“But where are you really from?/But whats your nationality?/Are you actually american?.. like… full american?”
American isnt a race! American =/= white. Yes im “full american” even though im ethnically latino! If you want to know my ethnicity/race then just ask me that instead of implying im not a “real” american.
I know most people asking this arent doing so from a place of malice, but damn does it get tiring after the 100th time.
I slightly disagree. As Americans, WE definitely understand that black people have a longstanding history, however that understanding differs when it comes to cultures, like Europeans who have only had multi-cultural societies in the last 1 or 2 generations. I get “where are you really from” all the time as a black American living in Europe. But I just see it as them not understanding the deep history of American multi-culturalism.
Another different example is places like London or the UK, where it is multi-cultural, but people often identify as their ethnic background more, being Jamaican or Turkish or XYZ, while still being first or second generation.
American culture has a way of making everyone American. It’s inclusive and immigrants eventually adopt American culture as their own. While some multi-cultural societies like the French, will only identify people who have been in the country for 100 years as truly French.
All this to say, you’re right that it sucks when people say this to you. It’s ignorance and I usually explain it quickly but don’t engage more than it’s worth.