Many in America reach back whatever old country they desend from for cultural reference. Many here will proudly say they are Irish, Scottish, even British when they are now seven generation and have not even set fott in the UK.

My own past is fully Angelo. One ancestor came from London another was from Belfast. My grandfather called himself an American first but Irish second. I have always wondered what people from the UK make of this. Or the rest of europe for that matter, when an American says they are German or what not.

Is this offensive in anyway?

I don't think it is offensive. But what really gets me mad is Americans who, because their grandparents are first generation, they can get Irish or British passports very easily. Whereas myself, born in Belfast, I had to fill in all the papers etc, to get an Irish passport.

I have an American friend who swears that he is a direct decendent of Robert the Bruce. I just smile and nod politely. Pillock.

I have an American friend who swears that he is a direct decendent of Robert the Bruce. I just smile and nod politely. Pillock.

Oh, I saw that movie, too. I'm related to William Wallace; he was better looking.

Oh, I just remembered, they were Scottish. Sorry, I take it all back.

I don't think it is offensive. But what really gets me mad is Americans who, because their grandparents are first generation, they can get Irish or British passports very easily. Whereas myself, born in Belfast, I had to fill in all the papers etc, to get an Irish passport.

I have an American friend who swears that he is a direct decendent of Robert the Bruce. I just smile and nod politely. Pillock.

Really? Why do first generation Americas get special treatment?

I was born in Ireland and have many 'great' people in my ancestry. I can trace my family tree back to the 12th century, when, as a member of the aristocracy, my ancestor changed his name from the French 'Le Hir' to the Irish equivalent of the 'inheritors'. This was then changed to the English 'Heirs', and eventually became the modern 'Ayres'. There you are, I have told you my name, Tiger Ayres!

Regarding the op, I think it's fine (although a little amusing) that people hold on to thier roots no matter how spurious. We all need a little history.

I was born in Ireland and have many 'great' people in my ancestry. I can trace my family tree back to the 12th century, when, as a member of the aristocracy, my ancestor changed his name from the French 'Le Hir' to the Irish equivalent of the 'inheritors'. This was then changed to the English 'Heirs', and eventually became the modern 'Ayres'. There you are, I have told you my name, Tiger Ayres!

Regarding the op, I think it's fine (although a little amusing) that people hold on to thier roots no matter how spurious. We all need a little history.

I can't help but wonder if this need is stronger with Americans. Perhaps we feel we lack a history or don't have enough history, or perhaps those who cling to history don't know Americas history?

I've always thought that it seems a bit divisive - all the Irish American, German American, Asian American stuff. It seems to me that you all spend a lot of time differentiating yourselves from each other.

When I was in elementary school and even later, a ready topic of conversation was heritage. I think we all felt bland being "Canadians". And anyone who could speak another language without having to study it was put on a pedestal. I think people just like to know your background for conversation grabbers.

And then the tigger comes on and says he can trace his ancestry back to the 12th Century. I think my mom was sold into slave labour back then. Probably to your family Ayres. Aha! TV payback time.

I've always thought that it seems a bit divisive - all the Irish American, German American, Asian American stuff. It seems to me that you all spend a lot of time differentiating yourselves from each other.

Very good point, indeed!! I have always wondered why we continue to do this?

Because you CAN

As Americans, if we want to identify our heritage, we must say we are British, Irish, Italian or whatever. There is no American race other than Native Americans or Indians. All the White people in America come from a European bloodline. If an American wants to identify their heritage, they must recognize their European roots because that is where we all come from.

Mr Ayres and Bobbie Bruce aside. It's who we are and where we come from that counts and who our parents are that give us our personality. I speak english wow i speak spanish wow i speak french wow but my parents dont speak a word of those languages. They gave me the oportunity to learn and live and i shall be forever grateful for that.

I've always thought that it seems a bit divisive - all the Irish American, German American, Asian American stuff. It seems to me that you all spend a lot of time differentiating yourselves from each other.

Very good point, indeed!! I have always wondered why we continue to do this?

Possibly a combination of sense of identity and sense of community ...... I would expect that being an American just makes you one of a vast and varied population, being Irish American reduces the numbers somewhat and provides something you can relate to, same size cog - much smaller wheel.

Many here will proudly say .....

Is this offensive in anyway?

Possibly I'm mistaken but you seem to imply that a sense of personal pride is a bad thing. Personally I think a lot this kind of stuff has roots in a lack of self confidence and self worth.

IMHO, one should keep it in the context of the conversation. I've known loads of people who claim to be from New York or Chicago or be 100% Irish as a means of boasting, as if that is supposed to mean something. Maybe it means something to them, but if it doesn't mean anything to me, then what concern is it of mine?

I can recall once knowing a guy who was a distant cousin in the Kennedy clan, had a piece of the trust fund and was always flashing cash or his latest purchase. But the main thing I remember is the guy being a complete jag-off by the way he acted and the way he treated other people. What's really more important, his lineage or his person?

I think the only way something like that can be taken offensively, is if the person listening has more insecurity than the person making the claim.

Many years ago at an air force recruiting office I wrote on a form that my nationality was "Canadian". I was asked if this meant I was of aboriginal decent.

Well, no, but I know one side of the family has been here at least 350 years so I think we qualify as being "just Canadian".

When I was in Old Blyghtie back in the 60s Because my Dad was a Brit

and I had a Job I could have got a British Passport..

I didnt want it, my OZ one was just fine..

Everybody wants to be a part of something and be able to identify themselves with something. White Americans all hail from a European bloodline. A White American's, or a Canadian for that matter, political designation or nationality may be American or Canadian. It is not their race though. There is not an American bloodline or Canadian bloodline running though White people. We all come from Europe.

If you live in a country of your bloodline and everyone else around you is also in that same bloodline there is no need to identify anything at all because you're all the same people. When Irish came over to America they were coming from a country where only other Irish were and that was all they were ever around. Now they had to mix and integrate with Germans, Italians, Swedish etc etc. Naturally when talking to a stranger the subject of what you are and where you're from would come up so you each knew if you were talking to one of your own or not. When living in a vastly mixed society, as Americans do, the need to identify yourself will always be an issue.

Everybody wants to be a part of something and be able to identify themselves with something. White Americans all hail from a European bloodline. A White American's, or a Canadian for that matter, political designation or nationality may be American or Canadian. It is not their race though. There is not an American bloodline or Canadian bloodline running though White people. We all come from Europe.

If you live in a country of your bloodline and everyone else around you is also in that same bloodline there is no need to identify anything at all because you're all the same people. When Irish came over to America they were coming from a country where only other Irish were and that was all they were ever around. Now they had to mix and integrate with Germans, Italians, Swedish etc etc. Naturally when talking to a stranger the subject of what you are and where you're from would come up so you each knew if you were talking to one of your own or not. When living in a vastly mixed society, as Americans do, the need to identify yourself will always be an issue.

Don't beat about the bush TripxCore..Say what your trying to say..

Were all just Mongruels of the World...

I've always thought that it seems a bit divisive - all the Irish American, German American, Asian American stuff. It seems to me that you all spend a lot of time differentiating yourselves from each other.

The debate has already been had in America, it is possible to be American and proud of your ancestry.

The debate has not yet been had in Europe, which is undeniably struggling to assimilate immigrants.

So to my mind the question being asked is being asked of the wrong side of the Atlantic

.

It's only because everyone wants to be Scottish - can't blame them for that!

Away with ya Laddie...

As Americans, if we want to identify our heritage, we must say we are British, Irish, Italian or whatever. There is no American race other than Native Americans or Indians. All the White people in America come from a European bloodline. If an American wants to identify their heritage, they must recognize their European roots because that is where we all come from.

Not all the time. Many white Americans are recent arrivals, yes, early 20th century and first or second generation. Some are not. Like me for example, on one side of my family we are just arrived here, the other goes all the way back to the Mayflower. My grandfather was able to track our family back to a man who was kicked out of the UK for stealing shoes and sent to America, I think as an indentured servent, to Virginia. This was before the Revolutionary War. Now, my grandfather doesn't have an interest in following further, I am sure he might if he could go to England to look at records, still though he is more interested in our American history. So, isn't a few centuries enough? Does one really have to go back further than that?

Many here will proudly say .....

Is this offensive in anyway?

Possibly I'm mistaken but you seem to imply that a sense of personal pride is a bad thing. Personally I think a lot this kind of stuff has roots in a lack of self confidence and self worth.

IMHO, one should keep it in the context of the conversation. I've known loads of people who claim to be from New York or Chicago or be 100% Irish as a means of boasting, as if that is supposed to mean something. Maybe it means something to them, but if it doesn't mean anything to me, then what concern is it of mine?

I can recall once knowing a guy who was a distant cousin in the Kennedy clan, had a piece of the trust fund and was always flashing cash or his latest purchase. But the main thing I remember is the guy being a complete jag-off by the way he acted and the way he treated other people. What's really more important, his lineage or his person?

I think the only way something like that can be taken offensively, is if the person listening has more insecurity than the person making the claim.

Very good points, Spee and I agree. The person in question has a lot to do with whether or not such claims become offensive. I ask if it is offensive for the European view. Flip it around and think about someone who was not an American walking around saying I am an American, just because someone 12 generations back was, would that be offensive to us Yanks? That's what I was trying to get at. If an American of German desent was in Germany saying he/she was German, wouldn't the Germans be like "To He ll you are!"

Everybody wants to be a part of something and be able to identify themselves with something. White Americans all hail from a European bloodline. A White American's, or a Canadian for that matter, political designation or nationality may be American or Canadian. It is not their race though. There is not an American bloodline or Canadian bloodline running though White people. We all come from Europe.

If you live in a country of your bloodline and everyone else around you is also in that same bloodline there is no need to identify anything at all because you're all the same people. When Irish came over to America they were coming from a country where only other Irish were and that was all they were ever around. Now they had to mix and integrate with Germans, Italians, Swedish etc etc. Naturally when talking to a stranger the subject of what you are and where you're from would come up so you each knew if you were talking to one of your own or not. When living in a vastly mixed society, as Americans do, the need to identify yourself will always be an issue.

The big question is will be always need to do this? Can the bound of the ideal of an American nation override race relations?

I have always thought it was possible, but have yet to see it fully.

The debate has not yet been had in Europe, which is undeniably struggling to assimilate immigrants.

So to my mind the question being asked is being asked of the wrong side of the Atlantic

This is a really interesting point, but I think if the words were changed slightly, it could apply to immigrants as well.

You talk about Europe in general as struggling to assimilate immigrants. IMHO, this is a two part equation, as some immigrants are struggling to assimiilate into the countries that they moved into. This holds true for the US currently as well. But having lived, worked and visited most countries in western Europe and one in Eastern Europe, it is easy to envision areas where immigrants might have a tough time. Germany, Netherlands and Spain come to mind.

On the other hand, it is completely unrealistic for immigrants (such as those I'm watching being interviewed on TV right now) to have attitudes of viewing their former country as their home, rather than their new country. If one wants to immigrate to a new country, but yet still want to hold the views, politics, policies, etc., of their new country in a secondary state to their former country or some other country, then they should reasonably expect to have a difficult time.

I don't know. I can't pretend to have all the answers. But your point is interesting and appreciated and has a lot of merit.

Many in America reach back whatever old country they desend from for cultural reference. Many here will proudly say they are Irish, Scottish, even British when they are now seven generation and have not even set fott in the UK.

My own past is fully Angelo. One ancestor came from London another was from Belfast. My grandfather called himself an American first but Irish second. I have always wondered what people from the UK make of this. Or the rest of europe for that matter, when an American says they are German or what not.

Is this offensive in anyway?

It's not offensive Mr T but is to be used selectively ... If you are talking to some Brits or Irish in the pub and you mention your heritage it might get you a free beer.

You can even go one step further and claim ancestry to anyone you talk to for potential free beers ... it's a win/win situation

It's not offensive Mr T but is to be used selectively ... If you are talking to some Brits or Irish in the pub and you mention your heritage it might get you a free beer.

Bebop and I have briefly touched on this via PM. My mother traced our family tree way back and discovered that we had relatives on The Mayflower, our part of the family stayed in England but there is a slim chance that Bebop and I are distantly related..... even if we aren't, it's good to know that we are involved in the same heritage.

I was in Boston MA a few years ago and happened to drop that little snippet into the conversation in a bar, I got quite a few free beers that night, got laid too...................... which was nice

It's not offensive Mr T but is to be used selectively ... If you are talking to some Brits or Irish in the pub and you mention your heritage it might get you a free beer.

Bebop and I have briefly touched on this via PM. My mother traced our family tree way back and discovered that we had relatives on The Mayflower, our part of the family stayed in England but there is a slim chance that Bebop and I are distantly related..... even if we aren't, it's good to know that we are involved in the same heritage.

I was in Boston MA a few years ago and happened to drop that little snippet into the conversation in a bar, I got quite a few free beers that night, got laid too...................... which was nice

Thaddy Thaddy Thaddy, theres not a little bit of American in you..

Take a bet theres been a little bit of you in a few Americans..

I cannot remember ever being in the least concerned about my family history. And I am totally flabbergasted as to why your heritage/lineage/forefatherage should be a source of pride, or shame for that matter. <deleted> did you have to do with who or what your forefathers were/did?

If you were a Peruvian growing up in Madagascar, you'd be totally different to a Peruvian growing up in Alaska. So even the fact that you are Peruvian is irrelevant.

With the integration of nationalities and races that has been gaining pace over the past 50 years or so, I'd have thought that people would start looking at themselves more as individuals rather than members of clans, but it seems that instead of freeing them from the deadweight of heritage that hung around their necks, it made them insecure and suffering from an identity crisis. That I think is a real pity. Fly free.

It's not offensive Mr T but is to be used selectively ... If you are talking to some Brits or Irish in the pub and you mention your heritage it might get you a free beer.

Bebop and I have briefly touched on this via PM. My mother traced our family tree way back and discovered that we had relatives on The Mayflower, our part of the family stayed in England but there is a slim chance that Bebop and I are distantly related..... even if we aren't, it's good to know that we are involved in the same heritage.

I was in Boston MA a few years ago and happened to drop that little snippet into the conversation in a bar, I got quite a few free beers that night, got laid too...................... which was nice

Booootiful Mr T .... and it wouldn't have mattered even if it was a 'little fib' as you would still have got drunk and laid from it

When I go out I make sure that I am related to everyone I meet ... get those beers in