Are Irish Americans Americans .

[cuttsie]

Most of the time these family's have  been in America for generations but still consider themselves to be Irish , its confusing .

In the UK we are a mixture of peoples from all around the Globe but we do not seem to look back on where our ancestors originated in the same way as the Irish do in America .

Unless it comes to cricket .

[*Wallace*]

Are African Americans Americans ?

Edited April 13, 2023 by *Wallace*

[Axe]

Something like 25% of Americans have British ancestors.  Britain has more importance than Ireland in the history of the USA. The Irish link is exaggerated by weak presidential candidates in an attempt to get votes.

[Annie Bynnol]

1 hour ago, cuttsie said:

Most of the time these family's have  been in America for generations but still consider themselves to be Irish , its confusing .

In the UK we are a mixture of peoples from all around the Globe but we do not seem to look back on where our ancestors originated in the same way as the Irish do in America .

Unless it comes to cricket .

    The assumption that " In the UK we are a mixture of peoples from all around the Globe..." and that "...  we do not seem to look back on where our ancestors originated..." is at best an overstatement.

     The allegiance to their county is paramount hence 'american' and the notion of their often usually 'forced' emigration from poverty and persecution is their history, as family ties with their native country diluted so the gathering into 'groups' based around a common history and shared poverty of the inner cities. Some of these groups have existed for so long they have generated their own history to the extent that they have very little in common with the original country. Some groups vied with each other for power, money and advantage and their 'place' in society. We would do well in the UK not to underestimate how 'groupings' influence the social structure. Are we a country of minorities with a common goal, or led by a majority that would dominate?

[harvey19]

My grandfather came from Barnard Castle so am I a Barnard Castle Yorkshireman ?

 

Seriously we only have to look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs.

The 3rd level is wanting to belong.

 

Edited April 13, 2023 by harvey19

[Axe]

15 minutes ago, harvey19 said:

My grandfather came from Barnard Castle so am I a Barnard Castle Yorkshireman ?

 

Seriously we only have to look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs.

The 3rd level is wanting to belong.

 

You might be a Bowes-Lyon

[melthebell]

1 hour ago, Axe said:

Something like 25% of Americans have British ancestors.  Britain has more importance than Ireland in the history of the USA. The Irish link is exaggerated by weak presidential candidates in an attempt to get votes.

It's nothing to do with presidents, people in places like NY, Chicago and Boston are proud of their roots hence why there's a massive Irish folk punk tradition over there

[Axe]

22 minutes ago, melthebell said:

It's nothing to do with presidents, people in places like NY, Chicago and Boston are proud of their roots hence why there's a massive Irish folk punk tradition over there

Presidential candidates have a history of bigging up their Irish roots to attract votes from folk who also big up their Irish roots. 

[m williamson]

I have Irish-American cousins, so possibly have a little bit more of an idea about the situation than certain people who like to provide their personal opinions.

 

Placing a prefix with regard to the country of your ancestors origins before American is an American custom, not an Irish-American custom nor an Italian-American custom nor a Greek- American custom nor an African American custom, nor indeed any of the other immigrants customs.  

It's an American custom. For some reason the oversensitive - usually English - seem to get upset about this. Let me assure them, going on the experience of my cousins and the fact that for a number of years I worked for RCA an American company and met a lot of them, they are most definitely American first and foremost.

 

There isn't a single race, religion, nationality, ethnicity or ideology that is not represented in America. Unless you are a Native American then you are an immigrant. When your forebears arrived in a strange land they naturally sought out their fellow countrymen and women in order to feel less isolated and to help each other out as best they could. That resulted in an ongoing community spirit, but in the same way that people from the North or South or Midlands of England will use that fact as an identifier, when all together - in a situation not involving football - they regard themselves as English.

 

And a sense of humour would help. When Joe Biden told the BBC reporter that he was Irish he was having a joke. Anyone who saw the clip and didn't get that isn't too bright.

Had he been serious and meant it he'd either have ignored the question and blanked the reporter as he passed him, or said it with a straight face and walked on without a second glance. What he did was look back and give him a big grin. 

[m williamson]

3 hours ago, Axe said:

Something like 25% of Americans have British ancestors.  Britain has more importance than Ireland in the history of the USA. The Irish link is exaggerated by weak presidential candidates in an attempt to get votes.

If you mean that America needed to defeat Britain in order to become a sovereign republic you might have a point about the ' importance '. On the other hand if you mean impact upon  American culture you are way off.

 

An Irishman from County Wexford Commodore John Barry was acknowledged together with John Paul Jones as being the founder of the US navy. https://thenewamerican.com/john-barry-true-father-of-the-american-navy/ 

 

58% of all Medals of Honor awarded up to 2009 by America were awarded to Irish-Americans.

 

Both of Henry Fords parents were born in Ireland

 

The film industry which has made America famous throughout the world was dominated by the Irish and the Jews. 

John Ford, Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, Maureen O Hara, James Cagney, Tyrone Power, Gene Kelly and a whole host of others were the people that helped give Hollywood its preeminence and had such influence on peoples attitude to America.

 

Those are just a few examples of Irish influence in America, 

 

Don't take my word for it, take the word of an African- American who loves Britain, lives here married an Englishman and has been awarded an OBE. 

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news-bonnie-greer-by-picking-a-fight-with-ireland-the-uk-40432/